Mirror
by Lily Maxwell The Dark Angel
Summary: They say when we sleep we're transported to a whole new world... but things never got this far. The thin line between Dream and Reality is shattered. Would you be able to face your nightmares? YY/Y
1. save me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – This story has been revised. Edits have been made, slight changes have occurred, but the story is still the same. For those who bother to re-read it, thank you so much. If you don't want to, then it's alright. The story can still be picked up from where it left off. If you can even remember where it left off, really, haha… Yeah, I realize that was a bad joke. Description for all edits can be found at the top of every chapter._

- Lily M.

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A/N: Okay, so here I am again! This fic may get a little confusing, so I'm sorry if you get confused... To clarify things a little, the chapters will be divided in two ways: there will be the normal ones, that will show Yugi's real life... and the ones in _Italic_, where the "Dream World" situations will be shown.

It may be kind of confusing at first, but you guys shall get used to it... ehh, hopefully O.o;;

^^;; Anyway, this is only a prelude, and the next chapter will be out soon, ok? Enjoy now!

**Disclaimer:** You know what a disclaimer is? What, you do right? What, you don't! O.o pal you're NOT 13, so get out of here... ahem. So you do, right? So, you know what I'm gonna say. Yeah, yeah... no own, no sue, and never will... so shut up XD

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**Mirror**

**I**

_- s a v e m e -_

The four year-old stared at nothing. Feeling broken, betrayed, alone... forsaken. Why would such a child feel these sorrowful feelings? Because it was true.

If it wasn't... why did they leave him? Why did they have to leave him, alone in this mess of a world, a world promised to him for the next years... A shy child like him had lost hope in everything when they left him.

Why wouldn't he? He had no sister. He had no brother. He had no little friends. He had no one.

_They_ left him, just like that.

It was true that those men had said that he was going to live with his grandfather, but his innocent, child mind didn't want them to leave him... he wanted to be with them forever.

He couldn't even process the information that they had left him. There was _no way_ he could. He was a young child, connected to them like to no one else... and they were gone.

So he stayed there, his small mind trying to understand what had happened and what was going to happen. Was he going to be alone? Forever? Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever...

... or would they come back?

He doubted it.

As the crystalline little tears fell from the pure, lavender eyes of the young child, he narrowed them deep in thought.

'I... don't want to be alone...'

He cried helplessly, clenching his fists together with such force that he could almost feel his blood starting to slowly pour from those little hands, hurting him. He whimpered silently. No one was to hear him. He was alone. He was alone on that night, only to leave for his grandfather's the next day. Those men were going to pick him up.

It was windy. Very windy, and disturbing, and freezing. No matter how close he hugged himself, the cold didn't seem to go away. Was this what loneliness felt like? To have no one by your side to hear your silent pleas? To have no one by your side to hold you close, and keep the coldness away? To have no one by your side to comfort you at that _right moment_?

He didn't know. It was too much of information for one so little like he was. Just four years old... trying to adjust to something not even a ten-year-old could handle easily. He cried. He cried so much, and for so long... he thought he wasn't himself anymore.

Closing his eyes shut, he tried his best to forget about everything and sleep. He was going to be with his grandpa, right? Grandpa was nice. Grandpa was really, really nice...

But Grandpa wasn't them. And he wasn't with him right now... He wanted to scream, he wanted to try and wash the sorrows and doubts away with the rain... but he couldn't. All he could do was stare at the space.

He cried himself to sleep.

-

_He slowly opened his eyes. His sweet, wide amethyst-like eyes met only fog. A deep mist surrounded him, and he found himself shivering. He didn't know where he was... or why he was there._

_He hugged himself and sat up, looking around. He was confused... more even than before. Anyone? No one. He stifled a sob. He felt worse than before... he wanted to be with them at that moment. He wanted badly. He would feel safe, protected, untouchable. But they weren't there._

_Around him... all around him were voices. Strange voices. They called, begged, screamed for help. He didn't know those voices... he didn't want to know what they were. He didn't want to help them, he didn't want to _hear_ them. But they were everywhere. Non-stop callings, pleads, prayers... they didn't go away. They enveloped him, his body and soul._

_"Someone..." he cried, the tears by now streaming down his face freely. "Someone, please help me..." he called. His mantra kept on and on, and he rocked back and forth. The voices. Oh the voices, they didn't stop. They _never_ stopped._

_Then, he stopped. The voices had... calmed down?_

_Why?_

_He heard footsteps. He took his hands off his ears, which had unconsciously gone there by themselves, sometime during his depression. He looked around. The mist covered everything. He felt as if he was blind, and the only one of his senses that still worked was his hearing... He heard the footsteps coming closer._

_He became afraid. Had the voices stopped because of him? What would they do? And who was this person? Was it the real reason why the voices stopped? Was it going to talk to him? Was it going to find him? Was it going... to harm him?_

_He shivered again, and swallowed. His already blind vision became to get blurry with all his tears and he felt helpless. Whoever the person was... please let it find him... so maybe the panic would go away._

_He held his breath. He saw a shadow. He started to back away unconsciously, even though his mind was curious and wanted to see who it was. His body just didn't obey his commands. Suddenly he stopped. He had reached a wall. There was nowhere to run now._

_He saw eyes. Big, sharp crimson eyes. Crimson like blood. Crimson like pain. Crimson like anger. Crimson like anguish. Yes, that was the first impression... until he noticed the real concern deep within the big crimson eyes. Crimson like lovely red roses. Crimson like a beautiful summer sunset. Crimson like... Death's eyes._

_Maybe it was really Death. Maybe it was going to reunite him and them... maybe it was going to help him... free him..._

_He just wanted to be with them again. That's what a child's desire always calls for._

_He thought the eyes were nice. While he was thinking, the eyes came closer, and closer, and closer... and he noticed it was boy. A boy not too older than himself. Big, sharp, crimson eyes... full of sympathy, concern, curiosity. The boy knelt before him. His black cloak surrounded him, and protected him from the cold. He tilted his head to the side._

_It was like a mirror image. If one looked at them, one would think they were twins. But they weren't... They were something else. Like the day that finally met the night, the moon that found the sun. Two sides of a mirror touching the surface and feeling the warmth coming from the other side... Reality meeting Imaginary._

_"Who are you?" the other asked in a childish, although warm voice._

_He didn't answer. He didn't move. He thought he didn't even breathe. But just sniffed, the tears falling down his cheek absentmindedly, and stared into the boy's warm gaze. It wasn't his salvation. It wasn't the so-called Mr. Death... but he felt safe. And he felt like crying._

_The boy, without warning, touched the side of his face, wiping his never-stopping tears with his thumb, and never taking his eyes off his. He gasped, feeling the warmth coming from the other one._

_A friend?_

_Not alone anymore?_

_No more loneliness?_

_No more tears..._

_... no more emptiness._

_"You're alone, aren't you?" the older boy asked, like he could read the little one's mind. It was that obvious, wasn't it? Or maybe... he was just supposed to know. "That's why you're here."_

_"They left me." he said in his little voice._

_Around them, the voices had stopped completely. The older one noticed he was shaking violently, maybe from the cold wrapping them. Taking off his long cloak, he wrapped it around the little one. And then, pulled him into an embrace._

_The two children sat there, in the fog, as the small one cried his eyes out. Mr. Death somewhere was maybe laughing at him... but maybe it had stopped already. He wasn't in despair anymore. He had a friend now._

_"What's your name?" he asked in a whisper. The other one blinked, and opened his mouth a few times before answering._

_"I don't know." The little one blinked. "I don't have a name..." he answered. The little one clung to his shirt tighter, and closed his eyes deep in thought._

_"Yami." He said, and the taller one blinked a couple of times._

_"What?" he asked._

_"Yami. Your name is Yami." He said cheerfully, backing away from the other one a little, and clapping his hands together in joy. "Do you like it?" he asked. The other one looked thoughtful... then nodded, smiling._

_"I like it." He said. "What's yours?"_

_"Yuugi. Mine's Yuugi." He said, then hugging his friend. "Yami... friend..." he said, burying his face on his very first friend's shirt. Yami giggled, and nodded._

_Not feeling alone anymore, he closed his eyes, and felt the world spinning around him._

-

He opened his eyes abruptly. Sitting up, he looked around and found himself in his bed. Outside, even though it was already morning, it was dark and there was no ray of the sun brightening the streets.

He didn't feel cold anymore. However, his clothes seemed somehow humid, and touching his face... he didn't feel the tears that were supposed to be there. Wasn't it a dream?

It was supposed to. The little child then waited for the men to come, while trying to understand where Yami was.

He only knew... that he wasn't alone anymore.

**- I -**

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Yami Lily (aka Iris): Now, that was REALLY like "Shades of a soul"... wasn't it, Lily-chan? Just kinda the contrary... Yami the mysterious one...

Lily: --;; hey, hey... it has NOTHING to do with "Shades of a soul"... they may seem alike at first, but they aren't, ok? Plus, Yami and Yugi didn't meet in a special place.... err, in part yes, but not like SoaS, if you understood my explainings, they were in Dream World, baka =P

Iris: ¬¬;; still...

Lily: *ahem* It shall not get like SoaS... plus, I didn't even add my Silent Hill influences, and the bad dreams yet XD

Iris: O.o Silent Hill influences?? Like, the creepy game??

Lily: ^-^ *nods* *ahem* So, you guys liked it? Want an update? SO **REVIEW** OK?? This will be my next great weekly-updated ficcie (like SoaS) ^^ ok? Ehh... only if you guys review, right? SO DO IT! NOW!! ....................................... *sweatdrops* Demanding much? ^^;; sorry, but please do it...

Jaa ne!


	2. miss me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – The story has been revised. Original character "Ellian" is no longer in the story, and has been replaced by Rebecca Hopkins._

- Lily M.

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Lily: YAY!! REVIEWS!! ^^ Should as well bow down to everyone that took their precious time to review my lil modest story! *bows down to them*

Iris: How you manage to control your wave of ideas is beyond me...

Lilt: Trust me in that yami, I have as much clue as you do... *sweatdrops*

Iris: *sweatdrops* I SEE...

Yami: *pops up* And how's school doing?

Both: *jump and glare at him*

Yami: *smirks*

Lily: ¬¬;; Just fine, Yami-no-Yuugi-no-baka...

Yami: ¬¬;; Damn it... thought you would be crazy over it...

Lily: ^^ Anyway should as well reply to my reviewers

**Reviewers replies:**

_Danski_ - Yay, I'm really glad you liked it!! And want to know the real truth? I have no clue where they come from XD Usually I'm washing mom's dishes or trying to sleep when they come to me, like: "Hmm... How would it be if Yuugi was sent into a book like Miaka from Fushigi Yuugi?" or "What would happen if Yuugi was Yami's guardian angel but helplessly fell in love with him?" or even "What if Yuugi was some kind of angel/demon and lived with a vampire Yami but knew nothing of his past at all?"... ^^;; That's EXACTLY how my ideas work... coming out of nowhere hahahaha *sweatdrops*

_Princess Strawberry_ - Yeah, how could anyone not love him? *hugs Yuugi for a brief moment when Yami wasn't looking*

Yami: *suddenly looks, grabs him back and glares at Lily*

Lily: *completely ignores him* ^^ Anyway.. Well, Mr. Death really came out of bro's crappy series *coughBuffythevampireslayercough*

Iris: *snickers* I see he's corrupted you into liking it?

Lily: Not even in a thousand years... ANYWAY, Yami asked you not to tell Bakura he giggled *snickers* To keep good reputation and such, you know =P hahahahaha. Oh and about Iris, don't worry, she's just a dense clueless dead High Priestess ^^

Iris: *glares at Lily and mumbles*

_Mel Gods_ - *practically squeals* You put images in mah head!! *wants to hug Chibi Yuugi but since he's not around, tries to control self* Anyway, yes, Yuugi's parents died, the "they" he mentioned were actually them *sniffs* Poor Yuugi-chan.. Anyway, I will! ^^

_SoulDreamer_ - Yes, count on that ^^ See? New chapter!

_Yami's Tenshi_ - *giggles* *hugs her too* Glad to hear from you again! And I'm also glad that you like this story!! ^^ You know, I love mysteries and such... And dark... *laughs evilly silently*

Iris: *turns to Kerra* You see... While you're sure of the reason Tenshi's your hikari, I sometimes doubt Lily... *turns to her* Say aibou, wouldn't you like to be the yami? You just have to be trapped on the Sword for almost all day just coming out to bug ppl =P

Lily: *considers it for a moment* *smirks as a thought comes to mind* Just if you want to clean the house, stand brother bugging you all the damn time, and keep up my 10 (or A) in Math at school...

Iris: *blinks* Ehh... never mind O.o....

Lily: ^-^ Anyway... Hmm, yay the italic idea worked!! ^^ And by the way, YES YOU SHOULD WRITE DOWN THAT IDEA OF YOURS!! And don't worry, this story will not be like "Shades of a soul"... you'll see =P

Iris: Also Kerra, about Yuugi... I have NO clue. I personally like Yami better *drools at Yami*

Yami: *backs away*

Lily: *ignores her* *sighs* Yes, poor Yuugi... and don't worry, you're not pathetic, I think that's very sad too...

Iris: O.o You do?

Lily: ¬¬;; OF COURSE I DO! *mumbles something like if Iris thought she was mean for fun* Anyway, THANKS FOR REVIEWING, and since this is kind of getting too long, see the rest of the note at the end of the fic ^^ *gives you a Tenshi Yuugi, Tenshi Ryou, Dark Magician Yuugi, Change of Heart Ryou, Chibi Yuugi, Chibi Ryou, Lady of Faith Bakura (*snickers*), Pharaoh Yami and Jou in caveman clothes plushies* ^^ Now, that should do it!

Iris: *gives Kerra a BUNCH of Yami plushies* Now we're even! ^^

NOW ENJOY!

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

**Note**: As this may surprise you, this fic won't have Anzu bashing and therefore said character WILL NOT be, in full words, a bitch. I'll do my best so Anzu Mazaki can be a nice, bearable and good character, so if still you don't like her _in this fic_, then I'm sorry, cause I sure did my best... And I bet _real_ **Anzu** (not Tea) fans shall like her. Enjoy now!

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**Mirror**

**II**

_- m i s s m e -_

14 year-old Yuugi Mutou walked to school, saying his good-byes to his grandfather before preparing himself for the day to come. He didn't prepare himself for tough lessons or annoying teachers. His reasons were beyond that, and were far more painful.

Although he was not usually seen as some _thing_ that was only there to be spitted at, punched and literally beaten up, that didn't make things any better for him. Because the mere ignorance of his presence hurt his soul more than any punch could.

People didn't see much in him. In fact, they probably didn't even _see_ him. The other students, the teachers, the school staff. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him, but it seemed as if he wasn't worth a second glace either. And it _hurt_.

But he did well on his own. He didn't really need any friends to get through the day, to be able to smile at a cat who passed by his legs, or let the early morning air fill his lungs and make him feel refreshed. No, Yuugi thought he didn't really need friends to get through high school.

But that didn't mean he didn't wish for one.

Because Yuugi _wanted_ a friend. His only problem was that he trusted people way too much, and placed on them a trust many weren't worth. He believed and actually saw the best in people, and sometimes, some of them cared enough to show him their good side.

Like a teacher he once had in the fifth grade, who loved all of the compositions he wrote, and said he had a good talent, never once sparing words about he was far beyond his age. Or a boy he once met, who taught him how to turn his words into images, turning every story into beautiful drawing works, making little Yuugi great in that area as well. Both were now out of his life, but it still didn't upset Yuugi.

And we could even mention the young lady that ran to catch up with Yuugi, willing to walk to school with him. Although Yuugi knew that once they were there, they would go on their separate, individual ways.

"Good morning, Yuugi!" the girl said, her eyes glowing with usual disposed cheerfulness. Although, out of the corner of his eyes, Yuugi could see that her smile didn't reach her bright blue eyes. But he wouldn't say anything unless she said something. They weren't friends.

"Good morning, Anzu." He replied, giving her a smile. The girl smiled back and nodded, inhaling the morning air and reminding Yuugi vaguely of his own antics.

Sure this girl couldn't be considered a _real friend_ for Yuugi, but she was a nice companion and a very nice girl. They did talk often, but Anzu usually hung out with her friends, who Yuugi didn't bother with or gave any attention to. Some of them could be really annoying at times – Anzu herself admitted it –, and only Anzu was enough for Yuugi.

Although he could be innocent, Yuugi was not too naïve. He knew what people thought of him, and he knew that Anzu considered him only as a nice boy, but he often felt it was a sympathy he didn't really need. People usually did that to him, sometimes unconsciously. Got to know him, and usurped his abilities, only getting themselves benefits. Yuugi would be left to walk home alone by the end of the day.

But he didn't blame them. He was a good listener, and it was easy to blurt out their problems to a total stranger. See that girl, she's talking to that lonely kid, isn't she so nice?

Unbeknownst to them, they only wanted someone to help them. But they never helped the person back.

Yuugi helped them, when he knew he could truly trust the person, and they weren't going to ask him to pay them back when the time came, just because they walked him to school or didn't tell anyone he had toys in his room. It was too bad those people were hard to come by. So those little moments of walking down the street with someone by his side, in the end, actually brought a smile to his face.

"Are you okay, Anzu?" he asked, after a while with silence filling the space between them. Anzu blinked and looked at him, her brown bangs almost shadowing her eyes when she looked down at Yuugi.

"What makes you ask, Yuugi?" she replied his question with a question, moving her gaze to the path before her, as if trying to avoid Yuugi's eyes. Yuugi felt like he was meant to be a therapist sometimes...

"You seem... disturbed with something today," he said, and Anzu looked down at him, curious.

"I... I'm fine... thanks for asking," she said smiling, and Yuugi nodded, sensing that it was his cue to stop pressuring her.

Both walked towards the school building, neither speaking a word at all the whole way. Yuugi felt as if he was alone in there... because usually Anzu would at least talk to him a little before reality hit, and the fact that they didn't need to talk at all became evident. But Yuugi thought that maybe that one thing that was bothering her was the reason for her silence, and maybe it was a real delicate and important something.

When they arrived at school, they reached their lockers, and some girls wearing cheerleader's uniforms spotted Anzu and immediately came to her, big smirks on their faces. The girl on the lead had long brown hair and dark eyes that shone with mischief.

"Mazaki..." she began, and literally took the belief of "let's ignore Yuugi Mutou until he decides to be someone" seriously, never sparing him a glance. "So, how does it feel being a loser?" She asked, and her friends giggled in an annoying chorus. Anzu bit her lower lip and looked down, embarrassed.

Understanding hit Yuugi. Anzu had taken the test to be part of the cheerleader team, but obviously didn't pass. Why she wanted to be part of the team in the first place was beyond him, but he thought it was just part of her personality. And maybe she could even _give_ personality to those freaks. But as hell still hadn't frozen up, the stereotype was still intact.

"You could ask yourself the same thing," a voice said, and everyone looked up to see who had spoken up. Yuugi recognized the owner of the voice as Rebecca Hopkins, a transfer student that had entered the school not too long ago and whose loud personality was already well known. She was often blunt and had an almost unbearable sincerity, but Yuugi liked her for it.

"Hopkins..." the cheerleader spat, but the other girl didn't flinch at her glare. Instead, she walked right past them, her chin up in the air, and gave them a glare that assured them a show was on the way if they said anything. Letting out a frustrated sigh, the lead cheerleader and her minions walked away and Anzu sighed in relief.

"Thanks Rebecca," Yuugi said, and the girl winked at him. Unlike other people, Rebecca was a girl he couldn't read. He didn't know if that was a good or bad sign.

"Anytime. The bullies need to be bullied, sometimes," she said. Anzu smiled and nodded, walking away towards her friends. Rebecca looked at Yuugi and flashed him a grin, petting him slightly on the head as she walked away.

Her actions left Yuugi in the shadows. That... was familiar...

_You need to help him._

He jumped. Looking around, he saw many people in the corridors, minding their own business, and ignoring him as usual. That voice... it had spoken, strangely, directly into his mind. He didn't know how. And he didn't understand why.

Yet again he walked home alone, sighing himself. He didn't have anyone by his side then, taking a deep breath with him, enjoying the afternoon with him. Sometimes, he thought his personality was some sort of curse. A curse he wondered would ever end...

Entering his home, he went directly to his room, mumbling a silent greeting to his grandfather before shutting himself in his own world until it was time to get out again— meaning only next morning.

He looked around, identifying himself in every single thing in his room, each one having its own place in those lonely years of his life. He looked at his mirror and walked towards it, a blank expression over his features. When he was in front of it, he touched its surface, finally showing an almost long-lost true emotion—

Happiness.

"Yami..." was the single word he said, before closing his eyes, not caring about the time. He just wanted to drift off...

Drift away from everyone and everything...

**- II -**

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Lily: --;; was that boring?

Iris: You can get to emotional problems really seriously when you want to...

Lily: *sigh* Self experience... Anyway, please **review** and I promise that next chapter Yami'll appear... don't worry. And WAHHH, Natsumi's back!! O.o

Iris: But so is Ellian...

Lily: WELL, they're archenemies, so that's obvious =P Anyway, please **review** and tell me what you thought ^^

Iris: And I can't believe you made Anzu nice...

Lily: ^^ *hugs Tenshi and Danski* I've gotten support!

Tenshi&Danski: ^^

**To Tenshi**:

Well since it's a shame that we can't really talk through emails and such, I guess this is the only time we can talk, yes? To begin, you don't really have to thank me for reading/reviewing your stories. I do it not just because you're my friend (^_^) but also because I ADORE them. If I didn't I wouldn't lie to you... but I do like them. A lot. A whole whole whole lot. And no matter what you think, you ARE a good authoress. Maybe I can be able to believe I am _slightly_ more skilled than you are, but that only depends on the person. I have been on this thing for more than a year, and believe me, I was FAR worse. I'll look forward how your work shall be in a year. You'll be even greater. I believe I'm good, or else I wouldn't be boring so many people with my crap, but I also believe you are good. Believe me, I would never lie to you. ^^ And I'm just honored that my stories could bring you happiness in a hard time... but I sure wished I didn't make you cry. It's not fair... Kerra can say, lol. And how couldn't I respect your opinions, when I wish people would respect my own? I just want to support people, and for that, do things they shall do for me. And usually, people's opinions have GREAT influence over mines... Due to the fact I now ENTIRELY like Seto/Jou and support Anzu, when I really didn't before. ^^;; And don't worry, when I need help, I shall ask... and I'll be glad at who'll so nicely help me.

That is the prize of an author ^^ Faithful readers. Lol, and Iris thanks you for the nice words. She says no one has given her sweeter words, and she wants to give you something.

Iris: *gives both Kerra and Tenshi a BIG hug*

Lily: *blinks* Now that was just it?

Iris: Hai.

Lily: *roll her eyes*

Iris: *sticks her tongue out at her*

Lily: *ignores her* Again, thank you for taking the time to read my stories... and making me realize how people enjoy my work. I'll never stop! ^^

Jaa ne!

PS: THANK YOU FOR THE PLUSHIES!! You know, Iris will hug hers to dea- uhh... destruction. She's all happy. REALLY I mean.... Wait. I think I left my chocolate exposed... damn it all. Uhh, I should go and check if she's gonna do anything... uh... bizarre or dangerous O.o who knows what a freak yami can do, right?


	3. surprise me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – Story has been revised. The Dream World no longer has any copyright-infringing name._

- Lily M.

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Iris: *ahem* Well folks, to make a long story short as to why my stupid hikari isn't here yet, it's all the rain and school-free week she's got...

Lily: *comes in happily* ^_^ Rain! Rain! Rain! And noooot sleepy!! *dances around*

Everyone: *sweatdrop*

Bakura: *turns to Ryou* Can I kill her?

Ryou: *sweatdrops* No, you CAN'T...

Bakura: aw damn...

Yami: *fights the urge to send her to the Shadow Realm and end this at once*

Yuugi: O.o uhh... Lily, go on quickly with these notes...

Lily: *looks at Yami and Bakura* *sweatdrops* Uhh... yeah...

**Reviewers replies:**

_Princess Strawberry_ - *giggles* Hey, it's true!! He helps people out with their problems, therefore he looks like a therapist... Uh... About Anzu, yeah I'll give my best to make her nice... she was nice, wasn't she? *blinks* Ehh, yeah... ANYWAY, as for Natsumi, yeah I HATE her too... if you wanna see some bashing of her, feel free to search through the chapters of my fic "Ashes of roses"... And yay, Ellian's cool!! ^^ I personally like her a lot (hehehe, duh, surprise surprise?)... and YEAH, YY/Y RULE! ^^ lol, good luck with your hw...

_SelenaFury_ - lol thank you, and look Yami! Now she idolizes you!

Yami: *sweatdrops* Should I be happy or fear?

Lily: ^^;; *shrugs* Anyway, please keep reading and enjoy the chapter!

_hobbit13_ - ^^;; actually, I just like Ellian a lot. I seem to torture her a lot in my fics (killed her twice, in "Shades of a soul" and "Runaway" and I have some HORRIBLE things reserved for her in "Wings of ruby and amethyst"...), so in here I won't be mean to her... ehh, I think O.o

Iris: And she CAN'T be Lily's yami because she already is Elle's... Plus, no one deserves to be Lily's yami, it's painful...

Lily: *decides to let that slip this time* *pretends to be hurt* You offended me! I am not a cliched author, this isn't a Yuugi-falls-for-Yami-and-doesn't-know-how-to-tell-him kind of fic!! *turns back to normal* *winks* In fact, Yuugi doesn't love Yami yet... *dodges a few things that were thrown at her* O.o IT'S TRUE!! He doesn't love Yami... it's just... well, you've seen it: he has no friends. And remember the prelude? He met Yami at the age of 4 and even gave him a name! You do the math ^^ I'm glad you like how I characterize Yuugi... and see? No cliché, Yuugi isn't beaten up every day, he's just simply ignored... it's a little but significant difference ^^

_Mel Gods_ - *reflects on that comment about updates* *sweatdrops* Uh... yeah.... *whistles innocently, not daring mentioning that "Fade to black" and "One winged angel" aren't updated with a quick frequency* And yeah, I'm glad many people like my stories! ^^ About Yuugi, I can only say he's ALWAYS adorable... And yeah, I promise Anzu shall be nice, and you're right about 4kids... Unfortunately, I've seen the English dubbed version, and it DIDN'T please me a bit... Hate ALL voices... ugh...

_YumeTakato_ - lol, I'm glad you liked it!! Hope you like this chp too... It's a very different one ^_~

_Pretenna_ - Yay! 4 year-old Yuugi!! *squeals*

Iris: *doesn't know why SO MANY GIRLS love Yuugi*

Lily: *ignores her* I'm glad you like this fic a whole lot!! ^^ Here's a new chp! And I'm glad to see you back! ^_^

NOW ENJOY!

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**III**

_- s u r p r i s e m e -_

_It was cold. So very, very cold that even though he had thick blankets covering his small form, he was still shivering. Opening his eyes, feeling as though it was not meant for him to rest anymore, he found himself in an old house poorly illuminated._

_"Welcome to my world, Yuugi," a playful voice said and Yuugi smiled, covering his face with the blanket._

_"I wanna sleep..." he said, and the other snorted. He walked to Yuugi's bed and sat on the edge. Yuugi peeked through the blanket, and saw mischief in warm pools of darkened red._

_"Get up or I'll tickle you to death," he said, and Yuugi didn't reply. Taking the blanket off his head, he looked at the other one, not getting up. He blinked. The other one blinked. He blinked again. The other ditto._

_"You wouldn't..." he squeaked. The other one grinned._

_"Oh really?" he asked, then made his move and managed to get on top of Yuugi, his hands moving smartly up and down his most ticklish spots, Yuugi crying, laughing and begging for mercy._

_"Y-Yami stop!" he called, both laughing hard at that point. When Yami did stop, Yuugi managed to throw him to the ground, still laughing._

_"That's your weakness!" he said, and Yuugi pouted, eyes narrowed. He pretended to glare at Yami, while the other one kept grinning. Finally, he gave in and started giggling._

_"Some best friend you are..." he said and stuck out his tongue. Yami blinked._

_"Hey!" he said, and stared at Yuugi with faked hurt. "How can you say that?" he asked, and Yuugi rolled his eyes._

_"Because it's true." He said, and it was Yami's time to narrow his eyes and playfully glare at Yuugi, who just couldn't stop giggling._

_For some reason, the cold was gone. But as Yuugi watched the black-clothed boy get up and walk towards a window, look out at the always-misty city, he knew the reason and never, ever wanted to leave. It was because he was finally with someone who cared for him. A friend. His only real friend._

_Real friend..._

_"Yuugi, let's go. We've got exploration to do," Yami said and Yuugi nodded, both stretching and walking out of the door._

_That city... that world... It wasn't simple. It was complicated. And dangerous, abnormally dangerous. A complex world filled with fog and piercing-cold drizzle, that each time Yuugi opened his eyes and found himself there, he felt something different. Something new. Sometimes it was a new place, sometimes it was someone new, sometimes it was some__thing__ new... But it was just never the same._

_He had spent the last ten years of his life exploring the silent place, and what made him want to return every time, all the time, was Yami. If he was alone there, he probably would flee in no time... but with Yami things got more exciting, more fun, and a whole lot safer... Because the sword Yami kept wasn't just to admire._

_But it really felt to Yuugi as if Yami was... __supposed__ to be there. And as long as he was there, Yuugi would live – literally._

_"Yuugi... Are you okay?" Yami asked, after a few minutes of walking through the misty city. Yuugi blinked and looked up at him, seeing concern and curiosity in those familiar soft eyes._

_"I... I'm okay... why do you ask?" Yuugi questioned, feeling a slight 'dejá vu' in that conversation. The words he and Anzu shared made their way back to his mind, and he almost laughed out loud at the irony of it all. The only difference... was that Yami always made him comfortable enough to talk._

_"You look... bothered with something..." he asked, and Yuugi blinked. Yuugi then smiled and shook his head then tilted his head slightly. It was his assuring way to tell Yami he was indeed okay. Yami sighed and patted his head, giving him a smile of his own, then resumed his walking._

_Yuugi blinked for a couple of seconds, before giggling to himself. Even though Yami was not with him during the day, he liked being reminded of him in small gestures. And he definitely liked Rebecca._

_He absentmindedly followed Yami, who kept giving him glances out of the corner of his eyes. Something _was_ troubling Yuugi, and he just wouldn't share it! Yuugi sometimes frustrated Yami._

_"Yuugi... are you sure everything's all right?" he asked again, and both stopped. He turned around to fully face Yuugi, and this one was looking at him as if he was having an internal battle with himself, considering if he should tell Yami or not about his problem..._

_"It's just that... I... They..." he couldn't make himself to say it. It was his __eternal__ dilemma, the same thing that had bothered him his whole life. It was silly of him to keep giving it so much thought, but he just couldn't stop it. Sometimes, it felt as if he didn't exist... like he was nothing at all, like everybody thought._

_Yami knew it. Yuugi had always been troubled by this subject for as long as he knew him, and sometimes he thought he would break down, but he never did. He was a strong little one, but it was like it was eating him from the inside. All the indifference, the advantages people took of him, all the ignorance... It hurt Yuugi, even though he would not show it._

_"Yuugi... just ignore them, ok?" he said, curving his body just a little to be in Yuugi's eye level. "If they don't bother minding you, then you shouldn't bother with them either, because they're not worth your friendship or even concern, alright? Just ignore them," Yami tried assuring him, but what he really wanted was to completely help Yuugi, but that was the one thing he just couldn't do..._

_"Thank you, Yami." Yuugi thanked, hugging his friend. It took him off guard, but Yami quickly recovered and hugged him back._

_"Don't mention it, Yuugi. Now let's go... I saw something very strange near here." Yami said and Yuugi let go of him, nodding. Both resumed walking through the fog, Yami leading both of them with his intuition and instinct. He had lived in this world too long for his liking, so he was used to its tricks and mysteries._

_As well as with its monsters._

_Yuugi followed Yami silently, knowing that he knew exactly where he was leading them. He just wished that this place he was leading them to wasn't some place dangerous... He didn't feel like dying there, and neither did he want Yami to die._

_As unpredictable, and dangerous, and mysterious as that world was, his adventures with Yami almost made him love it there._

_"There. I don't suppose I've seen it any other time before." Yami pointed to an abandoned antique shop. They both looked at each other, before walking towards the place. It was a store with two stories and it looked pretty old. Not just because of the dust and spider webs, but because the wood floor cracked as they walked, and many windows were broken, shattered glass all over the place._

_On the shelves, many different kinds of weird objects lied, each of them having its personal charm, getting Yuugi's and Yami's attention just as they laid their eyes on them. Sculptures, vases, strange boxes... each one was intriguing and had its own mysterious aura._

_As Yuugi tried, however, to get a particular box on a shelf at the back of the store, the floor seemed too fragile to support his weight, and gave up completely under his weight. Yuugi did not have the time to support himself on anything, and fell through the hole, screaming. It caught Yami's attention, but it was already too late._

_"Yuugi!" he called, but the fallen boy was already unconscious._

**- III -**

* * *

Iris: O.o this is getting odd, Lily! Are you sure you have a plot for this fic?

Lily: ;; Well, actually, the idea goes as far as "Yuugi has Yami as a friend in his dreams, and has no friend on the real world"... O.o This, of course, means I don't know where this is going...

Iris: --;; You're hopeless, Lil... You're going to screw it up, are you?

Lily: No! I promise to make the dreams very exciting, to compensate Yuugi's boring normal life... --;; Dreams are dreams, aren't they?

Iris: ¬¬;; Anyway, please **review**, or Lily WON'T post the next chapter. What would be the point, she wants people to tell if it's good enough to continue!

Lily: ;; Exactly... PLEASE do it... Now, jaa ne!


	4. heal me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – Story has been revised for crappy English._

- Lily M.

* * *

Lily: *blinks* Well, seems like everyone noticed it's kind of odd... BUT, as I said before, Yuugi and Yami ARE in the Dream World, and tell me, anyone, if you ever had a single dream that wasn't exotic in a way? I know I do!

Iris: But Lily, your dreams usually involve anime characters, mansions, Duo, monsters, cliffs, Duo, blood, violence, sea, swords, Duo...

Lily: Yeah, they're pretty strange, aren't they? But they're full of adventure!! I even got ideas from my dreams to write my fics sometimes!! So meh, be patient with this =P

**Reviewers replies**:

_Pretenna_ - lol, I'm glad this is a "good odd" story ^^;; And wow *blushes* You really got a lot of my stories in your favs, don't you? Well, have I ever thanked you for that? Well, THANK YOU!! ^^ Read now please. OH, and M... have you got something against Yuugi? Because I don't see _where_'s bad to talk about someone so cute, lovely and adorable!! ^_^ *proud Yuugi fan*

_SelenaWheeler_ - Oh, you got that type of dream too, huh? Me too ^^

Yami: *blinks as he sees Selena and Viper fighting over him* Wow, she sure changed her opinion about me... I mean, she just wanted to steal Yuugi away before *hugs Yuugi protectively just-in-case*

Yuugi: ^^;; *snuggles closer anyway*

Lily: *giggles*....... Wait.... YOU'RE MARRIED WITH JOEY?! O_O *faints*

_Mel Gods_ - *laughs* So, you're angry about the cliffhanger, now aren't you? ^_~ Hopes this chapter makes you happier... a little. *giggles* You'll see!! And I'm glad you think it's original!

_YumeTakato_ - *jumps and hides* Gomennassai!! Here's the new chapter!! ^^U

_hobbit13_ - lol, I was kidding, you didn't offend me at all ^-^ And sorry for the evil cliffhanger... It seems everybody wants to kill me 'cause of it XD OH, and the Millenium Items don't come in here at all...

_Hime no Ichigo_ - *giggles* Yup, Dream World and FLUFF!! ^_^ Gotta love those... Anyway, here's a new chapter!

NOW ENJOY!

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**IV**

_- h e a l m e -_

Yuugi woke up instantly, startled, sweating and scared. He felt slightly dizzy, and it felt like his mind had a vicious whirlwind going all over, giving him a horrible and amazing headache. Unconsciously bringing his hand to his head, he was more than surprised when he found blood on his fingers, obviously coming from some wound on his head.

It didn't hurt much, but the headache didn't seem to fading anytime soon. He sighed and leaned back on his bed, thinking about his dream. Yami was probably worried about him... and he was worried about himself.

He didn't think that the actions you took in the Dream World having a side effect on the Real World was something normal. And this was quite intriguing and scaring to him. Of course when you wake up from dreams it has its side effects, but this was a whole new story.

Looking up at his alarm clock, he saw it was only 10 minutes until he had to really get up, so he sighed and turned it off before it rang, heading towards the bathroom to get ready.

Yuugi winced when the hot water made contact with his wound, clearly telling him that it was no ordinary injury and that it was probably going to hurt a while... He sighed again, and tried to be careful with that wound until it healed. Yuugi could be pretty much clumsy sometimes. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if he accidentally hit his injured head on one of the shelves in his grandfather's shop.

Walking out of the bathroom, Yuugi suddenly had to lean against a wall for support. His world began to spin, and he involuntarily lost his balance. For once he took note of how his head hurt, the pain almost unbearable. He groaned and closed his eyes, the same thought going over and over again in his mind, unanswered.

_Why? What is going on?_

He shook his head and vaguely felt the world stop spinning and his balance coming back to normal, but the headache was still _there_. One thing was that he had hit his head in the dream – which wasn't plausible at _all –, _but he didn't think that he had hit his head _that_ hard.

Closing his eyes to try and regain his composure, the silence brought to Yuugi some things that he was really familiarized with. _Voices_. Actually, it wasn't many voices... it was just one. One that went on and on, calling his name incessantly.

_Yuugi... YUUGI!_

This is when Yuugi fell to the floor with a loud "THUMP!", head hitting accidentally during the fall and making Yuugi see starts for a second or two. Shaking his head and groaning in pain, Yuugi couldn't make out the sound of footsteps coming from the staircase.

"Yuugi?" came the muffled voice of Sugoroku Mutou, his grandfather, from the other side of the door. "What's going on in there, I heard a noise. Are you okay?" his voice was concerned, and while he debated with himself against entering or not, his grandson was trying to sit up. Just when he was about to turn the knob and enter the room, came the silent reply.

"I'm okay... grandpa." He heard Yuugi's hesitant voice, and frowned.

"What happened, Yuugi?" he asked, still through the closed door.

"Uh..." Yuugi thought hardly for a good excuse, but since his head hurt so much he said the first thing that came to his mind. "I dropped my bag and that's what made the noise." He cringed at his own lame excuse, but hoped his grandpa would buy it.

"... What do you have in it, rocks?" came his the humored answer, and he sighed in relief, smiling at the door.

"Just some books from the library... I'm retrieving all of them today, though," He lied again, and heard his grandfather's grumping approval.

"Just hurry up, Yuugi. The breakfast it ready and if you don't hurry, you're going to be late." And with that, Sugoroku walked back down the stairs, leaving the injured teen in his room.

He managed to stand up, pick his bag and walk out of the room, but once in the stairs, Yuugi almost fell down the steps, barely managing to get hold on the railing for support instead of rolling down ungracefully. He took a deep breath before coming down, step by step, slowly and calmly, not to cause any further incidents.

When he finally got downstairs, he looked over to a clock hanging on the living room's wall, and his eyes widened. He was already late.

Ignoring the piercing headache that cursed through his body incessantly, Yuugi ran to the kitchen, grabbed a toast and stuffed it in his mouth, drank a glass of juice at once and stormed out of the front door, leaving Sugoroku blinking and wondering what had just happened. Finally realizing, he just hoped Yuugi would wake up earlier next time and that he wouldn't choke on his toast.

Yuugi walked hurriedly towards his school, completely alone this time, every now and then taking a quick look at his watch to see if he would make it on time. Realizing that he wasn't all _that_ late, he slowed his pace, and held his head. The pain was completely unpredictable, coming now and stopping, then coming back again minutes later. It was annoying to say the least.

Looking over to side to try and get his attention elsewhere than the damned pain he was feeling, Yuugi's blood almost ran cold at what he saw. A small boy, who was probably around eight or nine years old was standing in the middle of the road, trying to retrieve something shiny from the ground.

The little one bent down and picked up the shiny object, which looked like an old pocket watch. Looking at it, he grinned, but it soon vanished at the not so pleasant sound of a horn.

He turned around and saw the car coming in his direction, but the child was just too shocked to move. It was going to get hit. And Yuugi, on the sidewalk, could do nothing but watch it.

He was about to look away when something caught his attention. Out of the soft mist he had barely taken notice earlier came a figure, quickly picking the child up and bringing him to the other side of the sidewalk, across from Yuugi. He could only stare in awe at him.

Add the fact that he had a piercing headache to the fact that this event was just too unbelievable and that equals a very clueless Yuugi, who just shook his head, and in a matter of seconds, both boy and young man were gone. Confused, he resumed his walk to school, before he got _really_ late.

But he couldn't get the image of the sandy-haired little boy, with his wide lavender gaze, being picked up by a teen that appeared _out of the blue_.

He just hoped he wasn't going mental.

"Good morning, Yuugi!" Anzu greeted, but blinked when the only response she received was a brief smile and a weak wave. She started to walk by Yuugi's side, following him to his first class. When they got there, Yuugi looked up questionably at Anzu, since she didn't have her first class with him.

"Something wrong, Anzu?" he asked, blinking up at her. Anzu just stood there, staring down at Yuugi with unblinking eyes. Then, she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Are you okay, Yuugi?" she asked, ignoring the passing students who would sometimes bump into her back in order to enter the classroom. Yuugi smiled at her and nodded.

"I'm just fine, Anzu. Thanks for asking, though," he said, but that didn't seem to convince Anzu. She sighed and decided not to push it, whatever it was. She waved goodbye to him, and walked up to her first class.

At the back of the class, someone watched the whole scene with interested eyes. Blue eyes glowed with curiosity and awareness. She sensed... looking at Yuugi, Rebecca sensed there was something wrong with him.

But he just wouldn't show it.

It was lunchtime, and Yuugi felt even worse than before. He walked rather slowly towards the cafeteria, but his head was taking furious swirls all the time, and his balance was rather shaken up.

He leaned against the wall near the cafeteria, panting slightly and holding his head in more pain than before. It seemed like there was too much noise... too much noise, too many voices, talking all at once...

"Yuugi?" came a soft voice from his side, and Yuugi looked up to meet Rebecca's concerned glance. "Are you okay? You seem pale... and in pain." She said seriously, but Yuugi _still_ managed to give her a weak smile.

"I'm fine... really..." he said rather weakly, making the girl frown.

"Oh, if it isn't the almighty bitch and her useless friend," came the voice of the last person both teens wanted to hear at the moment. Ellian looked up at the annoying with deep hatred in her eyes, while Yuugi winced in pain.

"Fuck. Off," said Rebecca, in a rather rude and inappropriate form. The group of cheerleaders gasped and their leader looked at her with wide eyes, before frowning, a smirk making its way to her lip-glossed lips. For a fourteen year-old, she sure used a lot of make up, Rebecca noticed. Stupid cheerleaders...

"Well, well... What would the principal say if she heard you talking like that, huh, Hopkins?" she asked, but Rebecca ignored her. Yuugi seemed worsen up.

_Yuugi! Yuugi! Please __answer__ me!_

Yuugi couldn't take it anymore. He passed out immediately, bringing immediate attention to him, many gasping, and some running to try and help bringing the boy to the Infirmary.

-

_Almost hesitantly, Yuugi opened his eyes to a rather dark environment. He blinked a few times before adjusting to the surroundings, and it took him a few seconds to realize that he was back to the house he and Yami had stayed last time._

_Then he became aware of the warm breath against his cheek and the hand clasping his own, while lying on his chest. He looked over and saw Yami, who still looked at him uncertain. Seeing two glowing violet eyes shyly looking at him in the darkness, Yami sighed in relief and smiled, bringing his other hand to touch Yuugi's face._

_Yuugi felt safer now. Safer than he would ever be in the outside world. With Yami. And he didn't care if this was a dream... Something inside him told it far more than just a simple dream._

**- IV -**

* * *

Lily: Wow... I finally managed to finish it! Sorry for taking so long!

Iris: Yeah... she's finally getting ideas for her fics... yay for her... she's not brainless anymore...

Lily: ¬¬;; I resent that...

Iris: Hey, I thought you were going to update this weekly? Please enlighten me on the last time you updated this?

Lily: ... Today?

Iris: --;;

Lily: Please **review** and wait _patiently_ for the next chapter, okay? It won't take long this time, I promise you!


	5. stay with me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – Story has been revised for crappy English._

- Lily M.

* * *

Lily: Yay!! An update!! Ideas, ideas, we must love 'em!! ^_^

**Reviewers replies**:

_SelenaWheeler_ - I envy you... being married to Jou and all... But HEY! I'm married to Duo so =P

Yami: *sweatdrops at all the fighting over him*

Yuugi: *glomps Yami to try and make everybody understand he's HIS*

Yami: O_O ^_^

Lily: ^^U Anyway, at least you liked the chapter... huh?

_Hime no Ichigo_ - *giggles* You're liking it, huh? You don't seem to like any Anzu, right? Even though she's being nice and all... but whatever, she's not important anyway =P

Ellian: *comes in* *blinks* Wow someone thinks I'm cool...

Lily: That's what's said ^^

Ellian: ..... when you don't kill me that is

Lily: *sweatdrops* You're not forgettin' me 'bout that, are you?

Ellian: *shakes her head and looks really pissed*

Lily: *sweatdrops and decides to ignore her for now (not a very wise decision...)* Anyway, as long as there's The Dream World, there'll be fluff!! ....... For now anyway =P

_Mel Gods_ - *sweatdrops* Ehh... sorry? "One winged angel" was updated, but "Fade to black" just gives me headaches... --U Shame on me... *blinks* I see cut off your review? ^^U I hope you liked it though

_Yana5_ - Thank you, here's the update ^^

_YumeTakato_ - *giggles* Hey, it did fine don't worry... Here's the update

_Riaku_ - Thank you!! ^^ I'm glad you like my story so much, and I agree with you... It may get more realistic later, but I won't give up the fantasy in this story... It shall get more interesting ^_~ Please keep reading!

_hobbit13_ - Heh yeah you're so right... Cheerleaders suck, and Yuugi's life is going pretty messy... And was it a vision? =P Was it, was it? Read and see ^^

_Pretenna_ - *giggles* ^^U Yeah, I agree with you... many mysterious haunt this fic... But M scared me!! O_o Wow so many good things 'bout Yuugi... But... hahaahahahaha, she likes Yami?? Make her join the club, pal, 'cause Iris does too..

Iris: DO NOT!! *blushes and walks away*

Lily: *just smirks*

_Machinegungirl_ - ^^U I see you rant a little... But I can't really say what's gonna happen to Yuugi... you gotta read! ^^

NOW ENJOY!

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**V**

_- s t a y w i t h m e -_

_"Yami...?" __Yuugi asked, his voice shadowed with fatigue. The pain in his head had been, for the last few seconds, subduing. He did not understand the why, but he was just grateful it was easing down a bit._

_"Hey... how does your head feel, Yuugi?" he asked, still caressing his face in an affectionate fashion. Yuugi tried to sit up, and surprisingly to him, his head didn't hurt as much as before. He blinked and smiled lazily._

_"It's better..." he breathed, and Yami sighed in relief._

_"You scared me big time, Yuugi. When I got to where you were, you were bleeding and you didn't wake up for hours..." he said, sitting beside Yuugi. "I kept trying to wake you up, but it was useless. I panicked," he said, and Yuugi smiled, believing him. He hugged Yami, almost startling the taller one._

_"Thank you," ge said and Yami chuckled, winking._

_"No need to thank me," he said and patted Yuugi's head fondly, still careful with his injury. He stood up and offered his hand to Yuugi, helping the boy standing up. "C'mon... there's something I want to show you," he said and Yuugi nodded, both walking out of the old house._

_Yuugi watched as Yami, with his arm around Yuugi's shoulders, conduced them back to the old Antique Shop. He looked up at Yami questionably, but the other just smiled and kept walking, leaving Yuugi intrigued._

_With his other hand, he carefully opened the door to the shop, and Yuugi saw the hole where he had fallen. He blinked, noticing as Yami led them towards the hole on the floor._

_"This is where you fell... Jump down." He said. Yuugi raised an eyebrow then shrugged and did what he was told._

_One good thing about this world was how you could do things that would be impossible in the Real World. Like jump from great highs and never get hurt or going as far as being able to fly... It was just a matter of faith. If you believed you could do it, then you could. Yuugi, who had been around for ten years, knew exactly how the world acted, and dealt with every little special attribute in id with cleverness._

_Just as his boots made contact with the ground below, dust flew everywhere. He coughed a little but it got worse when Yami jumped behind him, making the air even thicker. He frowned at Yami._

_"This place haven't seen light in a very, very long time..." he said and Yami laughed, nodding._

_"I see you noticed that too, huh?" he said and started walking around. Yuugi noticed that part of the floor just below the hole was cracked, and concluded that maybe that was the spot where he had landed previously. He looked up and blinked when he saw Yami was lost within the darkness of the room._

_"Yami?" he asked, and jumped a little when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Yami's laugh filled the room._

_"Calm down, Yuugi... This is what I wanted to show you," he said, showing two little boxes in his hands. Yuugi looked at him then at the boxes, and grabbed one of them. When he opened, he was astonished._

_A silver pocket watch was inside. He opened and saw inside was black, and the numbers were of a crimson color. When he closed the watch, he saw there was an Ankh on the lid._

_"Wow...Iit's beautiful," he said and Yami nodded._

_"It's mine," He said and Yuugi looked up at him surprised._

_"It is? Wow... it's... Yami, can I keep it?" he asked but Yami seemed to hesitate._

_"I'm... Sorry, Yuugi." He looked at the boy apologetically. "I can't give it to you," he said and Yuugi pouted but sighed, nodding._

_"Okay... And... what 'bout that other one?" he asked, pointing to the other box. Yami looked down at the box too and frowned._

_"It's empty..." he said and Yuugi blinked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not a very good sign..." he continued, leaving Yuugi even more intrigued._

_"Why? And how did you find a watch that belongs to you in here?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Yami stared at the darkness with lost eyes, probably thinking about what to answer._

_"I lost this watch a long time ago... And I found it here. It's a very important watch for me... If I finally found it, I don't think it's a mere trick of fate... There's something more to it..." he said, and Yuugi looked more clueless than ever._

_"And why do you think that?" he asked, but Yami sighed._

_"I can't explain it exactly... But... every person who lived or lives here, in this world, has one of those watches... Sometimes they disappear, that's when something drastic happens... In a crazy town like this, it's not a surprising thing... When I lost my watch, something big happened…" he smiled, but it soon faded. "But now that I found it... I have a feeling something is going to happen soon."_

_Yuugi was confused. No, he was completely _clueless..._ Yami could do that sometimes. Begin to talk about strange things that were hard to understand, then later lose himself in his own thoughts... But Yuugi knew that if he didn't understand it at that moment, he would eventually._

_Then it hit him..._

_"Yami..." he began, and the other one looked at him. "While I was sleeping... I heard voices. Also, I had this strange vision... And I saw a man with a golden watch like yours. What do you think that means?" he asked, trying to explain some things that had happened to him in his real life. It was strange to talk about it with your imaginary friend... But Yuugi gave more importance to the Dream World than to the Real World._

_Yami looked thoughtful before answering. "Probably it has to do with what I told you... Something is going to happen. What brought us here wasn't a mere coincidence... It's a sign, maybe?" he asked, but Yuugi shrugged._

_"Do you think it's... going to be something bad?" he asked. Yami sighed._

_"I don't know... But I'm afraid so," he said, and Yuugi suddenly hugged him. The smaller one buried his face on Yami's chest and thought about what he had said..._

_Something was going to happen? Something in the _Real_ World? Or in the Dream World? It was hard to know...It was hard to think while you were asleep... If Yuugi remembered this when he woke up, he would think better of it._

_While Yami ran his fingers through his hair, he felt as if something was calling him. It was strange as, even if everything was just an illusion brought by his subconscious, Yuugi could feel Yami's warmth, smell his scent, and enjoy holding him and being held by him..._

_Something could be calling him and he might have felt like he being pulled out of his Dream, but just those simple facts about his dear friend made him wonder which world was the real one..._

**- V -**

* * *

Lily: Flame me if you want... This is getting _too_ strange... I hope you guys still like it, even though it's lacking some _sense_... Sorry about that --U Everything is going to be clearer later... Please **review** if you read it at all...


	6. see me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – Story has been revised for crappy English._

- Lily M.

* * *

A/N: Yay, a quick update!! O_o Man, now what I said about vacation ruling? ^^ Vacation rules!! My ideas come non-stop (wait, that's not new...) for my old fics (ok, now THAT is) and that's absolutely GREAT!! ^____^

**Reviewers replies**:

_Yana5_ - Read and see ^_~

_ChaosDragon13_ - *blushes* Thank you, here's some more ^^ It's one long chapter, I tell you O_o

_Pretenna_ - ^_^ I'm glad you still like it THAT much!! *glomps* Thank you!! Yuugi's dreams are sure cool, aren't they? *laughs* So M... wanna me to arrange the marriage ceremony? =P *giggles and hugs Momiji cause she likes rabbits* Anyway, here's some more...

_ReMeDy10_ - Pocket watches, huh? I have no idea ^^UU... Then again, I could find out, couldn't I? I have Internet for God's sakes! Or I'm too lazy or too stupid... or maybe both... Anyway, I'll check to see if it's really that ^_~ Thanks for the help anyway, and here's a new chap!

_Mel Gods_ - ^_^ *glomps* I'm glad you like it so much!! All your answers will come out soon, ok? Just wait!! And ooohhh *claps* How lucky you are ^^ Having YGO DVDs... I'm glad you finally got them. *laughs* And I see you can't wait like me, huh? Anyway... hmm... did you survive the Evil Final Demons? Did you? *pokes* Hope you're fine... Here's the new chp ^^

_hobbit13_ - *blushes* It doesn't? You really like it? Thank you!! ^^ Everything you're wondering will be answered soon... ^_~

_Destiny_ - So you're curious? Well, I hope this chap confuses you more!! Erm... I mean...

_SelenaWheeler_ - *laughs* There Yami. You're not loved anymore

Yami: Hmph ¬¬ Whatever...

Lily: But I am rather jealous... I love Jou... Anyway, wow Yami did that?? O_o Evil... *ahem* Well, keep readin' please...

_Anonymous_ - Wow O_o First of all... who're you? ^^U Well, I'm glad you like my stuff!! Even though it's odd... Well, but it's suspense, isn't it? =P Anyway, good luck with that imac...

_Anime Crazed_ - *laughs* So you like because it's confusing? Cool!!! ^^ Keep readin'!

_Miami-chan_ - Here it is ^^

NOW ENJOY!

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**VI**

_- s e e m e -_

Yuugi awoke to the whiteness of Domino High's Infirmary. He closed his eyes instantly before opening them again, waiting for them to get used to the sudden brightness. His head was bandaged and just a minor pain disturbed him now. He sat up.

Soon, a woman entered the room and he recognized her as the school nurse, Cyndia, her kind smile calming his nerves almost immediately. She made her way to him and sat down.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Mutou?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "Does your head hurt too much?" she asked, but Yuugi was about to shake his head no when he _felt_ it was not a good idea.

"No... Just when I move it too much," he said and the nurse nodded, understanding.

"What happened?" she asked, but Yuugi was spared from having to answer to that disturbing question when someone knocked on the door. Cyndia got up and opened the door, and Yuugi recognized Anzu's face.

"Is he awake?" she asked nervously, but calmed down when the woman smiled. She just had this thing... She made everybody calm when they looked at her. Good occupation she got, Yuugi thought. "C-can I see him?" she asked, and Cyndia nodded, not before receiving a nod from Yuugi himself.

Anzu entered and sighed relieved when she saw Yuugi looking at her questionably, head tilted to the side. The nurse smiled and excused herself, disappearing in her office.

"Yuugi, you scared a lot of people!" Anzu said and sat down next to him, where Cyndia had been seconds ago. "Rebecca had to get quick help to get you here right after you passed out, " she said. "Are you okay now, how does you head feel?"

"I'm fine," Yuugi answered mechanically, feeling almost annoyed by being asked that so many times in such a little period of time. "Where's Rebecca?" he asked, but felt almost ashamed, thinking it sounded as if he didn't want Anzu there. But the girl didn't seem affected by the question at all.

"She's in detention," she answered, and Yuugi looked surprised at once. Anzu sighed. "That girl told the principal about her behavior and that got her a detention... This time. She said that next time she'd get suspended," she clarified, and Yuugi sulked in his position. Rebecca did not deserve the detention... That girl had _deserved_ the insult. But there was nothing he could do.

Then, a thought came to him. "How long have I been out?" he asked, and Anzu blinked, looking up at the ceiling as she thought.

"Well, you missed the last the second to last period," she clarified, and that made Yuugi's eyebrow raise.

"What about the last period?" he asked.

"Cancelled. There was a blackout just a few minutes ago," she replied, and just as her sentence was finished, the lights in the room went dead. They heard Cyndia sigh in her office, and Anzu unconsciously moved closer to Yuugi.

"Like this one?" Yuugi asked, looking around at the darkness, not a bit afraid like the girl next to him. He liked the darkness. More than he supposed was common.

"Yeah... It's strange," she said distractedly, and Yuugi blinked, trying to look into her eyes through the dark environment.

"What is?" he asked and Anzu shifted in her place uncomfortably.

"Hmm... It's just that... strange things have been happening recently." She shrugged as if to try and assure that it was not important. "Call me stupid but, I don't think it's normal..." she said.

"I don't think you're stupid," Yuugi said but missed Anzu's smile in the darkness. "But... what's been happening?" he continued, and Anzu hummed.

"Well, there's too much fog for too much time... Like, it appears in the early evening and continues until late morning on the following day... Blackouts and strange storms... I wonder if the world is going mad?" she asked with a giggle, as if to assure herself that it was a joke.

But to Yuugi, it felt more than a simple joke. He didn't take those as harmless accidents, more like strange coincidences. Too much fog, the lack of light and strong rain... It appeared to him as if... No, it was impossible. It _had_ to be a coincidence. But... it could be added to the list of strange things that had been happening lately. And that vision...

Yuugi shook his head, but regretted it as soon when his head hurt a bit.

"Anzu..." he began, trying to think of something else than the strange events the girl mentioned. "Who brought me here?" he asked, and the girl smiled despite the fact that Yuugi could not see.

"Some of my friends. They..." but she was cut off when very persistent knocks echoed in the silent room. Yuugi and Anzu jumped, but the girl recovered quickly and walked towards the door, revealing the shadows of two people. Yuugi did not recognize them.

"Hey Anzu, has the guy awakened yet?" a concerned voice asked and Yuugi heard Anzu giggle.

"Yup. Come on in you guys, he has been asking about you just now," she said and led the two figures into the room. Yuugi sunk a little more under the sheets and leaned against the pillow.

"Hmm... hello?" he asked hesitantly and jumped when someone touched his shoulder. The person laughed.

"Easy there, bud'. How are you feelin'?" the male voice asked, and Yuugi hesitated more before answering.

"I'm fine... thanks for asking," he said.

"Yuugi, these are the ones that helped bringing you here!" Anzu said happily.

"O-oh, they are? Hmm... thank you," he said, frustrated that he could not see the face of his saviors. And, as if someone heard his thoughts, the lights went back on, and Yuugi's eyes hurt a bit before adjusting back to the light.

He looked up to meet friendly brown eyes and dirty-blonde hair. The student had his uniform's jacket opened and lazily sat on the bed with one of his feet on the sheets and the other hanging loosely off to the side. He grinned at him.

"I'm Katsuya Jounouchi, but you can call me Jou," he said, winking. Yuugi smiled weakly and looked at Anzu, then at the other teen beside her. This one had a... very peculiar hairstyle. His hair was dark brown like his eyes. Jou followed his gaze and laughed. "That's Hiroto Honda, but call him Honda or spikey-head," he said and Anzu giggled as Honda glared at him.

"Shut up, Jou, or I'll have to tell Shizuka you're not behaving like a good boy again," he said, and Jou stopped laughing right away.

"Hey! Would you stop buggin' my sis' with nonsense? And 'sides, you're not supposed to be seein' her that much!" he said, and Yuugi just followed the argument with his eyes, looking back and forth between Honda and Jounouchi.

"Well, how am I supposed to date her if I don't hang out with her?" Honda asked matter-of-factly, but Jou widened his eyes..

"That's it, you die today!" Jou claimed before jumping off the bed and into Honda's throat. The battle was rather short as Cyndia came out of her office almost as soon as they began to fight, and nicely asked them to fight out of the school grounds. Jou accepted her offer.

"They're always like that, you know." Anzu said in a laughing tone as Jou and Honda left the room. Yuugi simply nodded and, minutes later, Anzu exited the room too.

Yuugi was left alone in the empty white of the infirmary, thinking of how happy Anzu, Honda and Jou seemed only by being together. It made the void he had in his heart ache with his lack of friends. Everything seemed brighter when you had someone to be with. But he, Yuugi... was alone...

He shook his head and searched for his backpack, intending on killing some time until Mrs. Crawford let him leave the infirmary and walk home. He found it on a chair beside the bed and grabbed it. He picked a notebook and a pencil and started to sketch.

He didn't know how much time he spent sitting there drawing, but when the nurse Cyndia came and checked on him and said that he could go home, outside the sun was already setting. Yuugi nodded and took one last glance at his drawing before he decided to put it inside his bag. His eyes widened, and then, he smiled.

He traced the drawing with his fingers, admiring the perfect picture of Yami he had made. It was strange to have a friend only in his dreams, but... Yuugi was happy he had one. Especially for the fact that... He could feel Yami...

It was like, if he didn't have Yami, he didn't know if he would like to live at all. But it was silly to think about that, and Yuugi knew it. Yami was a dream... and nothing more...

Nothing more.

When Yuugi exited school, he was utterly impressed to find the streets submerged in an uncharacteristic fog. He could barely see the cars passing on the road just in front of him and it scared him deeply. It was like a nightmare where he was lost in oblivion, defenseless... Shaking his head slightly to dismiss the thought, Yuugi walked deep in the fog towards home.

_Very soon._

Yuugi jumped and looked around. Even though the mist covered most of his vision, he could swear there was no one around. Then where had the voice he just heard come from?

He thought his mind was tricking him again, and he smiled weakly at how silly he was acting. But... he could swear the voice had talked _inside his head_. And then he stopped.

He had _seen_ a shadow move just ahead of him. Maybe he had just had an illusion or maybe he was just tricked by some streetlight… But he saw _something_.

_What_ something was something he could not answer, so he resumed his walk, looking left and right, aware of any movement.

"Grandpa, I'm home!" he called minutes later, seeing as the shop was closed that his grandfather was probably inside the house. But, when he received no answer, he frowned and looked around for any sight of the elder man.

When he arrived at the kitchen after searching the whole house, he finally found a note. Apparently, the note said, Sugoroku had to do a last hour trip to a friend who lived very far away, and that maybe he would not come back for a few weeks. He was not being negligent with Yuugi, you must take notice... He just knew the boy couldn't abandon school to go with him. And he knew Yuugi could handle everything alone.

_Alone_, Yuugi thought bitterly. It was easy for him to know Yuugi could handle himself alone, Yuugi had _always_ being alone...

"_But," _Yuugi thought, as he made his way upstairs, a smile appearing on his pale face, "_at least today, I felt as if I was not alone anymore... Maybe... maybe, they can be my friends?"_ and with that final thought, Yuugi threw himself on his comfortable bed, falling under the spell of its warmth, called sleep...

-

Yuugi jumped up just as thunder roared outside and lightning illuminated his bedroom for a brief second. His face and body were soaked with sweat and his eyes were wide and scared. He shook uncontrollably and tears fell down his face slowly. Outside, a storm punished the town with strong winds and heavy rain.

Yuugi tried to regain control by looking at the clock, but his mind was still stuck to the images he had seen just seconds ago. Because his dream... No, his _nightmare_, had scared him. It had been a while since he had a nightmare. Actually, it had been almost ten years since he had a nightmare. And he knew it wasn't good.

In the nightmare, his mother, a beautiful woman with dark hair and blonde highlights, with the sweetest green eyes appeared, with marvelous white wings and wearing a simple silk robe. She smiled to him and, the next moment, her wings were ripped out of her body, and soaked with blood, she told him:

"_Never stop dreaming."_

And then, she would dissipate like sand thrown in the wind, and he would be left alone. He shivered again and noticed how cold he felt. Too strangely cold. He tried to ignore it and focus more on the message his mother left him, trying to find something more than simple ironies.

Yumei Mutou left Yuugi in cold oblivion, yearning for the warmth he felt when he was with Yami...

Yami...

Yuugi cried, wondering why his best friend hadn't shown up in his dreams like he always had. He rocked back and forth in his bed, trying to understand, and feeling so empty inside that he could swear that, if it wasn't for his breathing, he was not even alive.

He stood up and walked towards his mirror, gazing at his messed image. A boy with a tearstained face, dark violet eyes, messed up hair and soaked with sweat stared back at him, and he touched the surface, looking down and letting the last of his tears fall.

He _hated _nightmares. They killed him.

When he looked up, his eyes widened. A tearstained face stared back at him, but instead of violet eyes and messed up hair, he found shining crimson eyes and a hair that just _resembled_ his own. The part where the hand the mirrored image had against his suddenly became unusually warm, and he gazed, dumbstruck, at their contacted hands, and then back at those eyes.

He felt the warmth spreading through him and calming his anguished soul, and could not understand. It was just an image.

A loud thunder echoed outside, and he jumped out of his trance state. He looked through the window and then back at his mirror, but another pair of wide bright violet eyes stared back at him. His breath was uneven and a single tear fell down his eyes unconsciously.

It was gone... But what _was_ that? Walking over to his bed and collapsing on the comfortable sheets, Yuugi decided he was not going to school that day.

**- VI -**

* * *

Lily: *nowhere to be found*

Iris: --;; I'm sorry for the delay of our beloved *coughstupidcough* authoress, but it seems she had some important matters to take care...

Lily: *comes in holding a shining fairy with a triumphant grin on her face*

Iris: *looks from the fairy to Lily with an eyebrow raised*

Lily: Oh *holds the fairy up* This is Navi.

Iris: And that should make sense becaaaaaause...?

Lily: Well, she's Link's, Zelda's hero, fairy... And she annoys me.

Iris: And...?

Lily: I went to hunt her down and make her pay for almost killing me innumerous times while I was playing _Ocarina of Time_... We don't get along too well, you know...

Iris: *sweatdrops*

Lily: *appearing to clench the squeaking fairy tightly in her fist* ^^ Anyway, I'm glad you guys are liking this... hmm... VERY odd fic... *sighs* But everything will make sense in the end, okay? Please don't forget to **review**! Okay?

**AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!** ^_^


	7. stand by me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – Story has been revised for crappy English and random homosexual relationships._

- Lily M.

* * *

A/N: I have noticed something rather shameful... How many typos there are in this story -.-;; I'm really sorry about them, guys, and I assure you that I have edited the past chapters. If you want to read them again... Please bear with those if, from now on, any typo escapes from my inspection. And sorry for not updating my fics before... I was in a mood of simple laziness ^^U Just playing Zelda and surfing on net freely... I didn't even read/review some fics I was supposed to!!! T-T Gomen ne, I promise not to do that again

**Reviewers replies**:

_Koishii no Tenshi_ - hehe... Sorry about that ^^U I tend to make my fics too confusing for my own good...

_Yana5_ - Hmm... answer that would be spoiling ^^ Keep reading and you'll find soon

_hobbit13_ - Yeah, he does, doesn't he? ^^U poor Yuugi... *sweatdrops* As many questions that you have that I cannot answer, PLEASE don't kill me... as, ah... _tempting_ as it may be ^^UU

_YumeTakato_ - ohhh, so it was YOU... lol, poor you ^^U Computers were just not made to please us *glares at her own evil computer* *sighs* Anyway, here's the update

_shadow-demon18b_ - wow thanks ^^ here's the new chapter for you

_Mel Gods_ - *giggles* You're not a moron. Or else Yuugi'd be one too ^^ And I like both of you. ^_^ Anyway, you're confused about the figures? Well, all those messages will be explained within this and the next chapter, so don't stop reading!

Iris: Oh and about "Fade to black"... Lily has a BIG problem with the plot of that fic and is reviewing all she had planned for that (or trying to remember what she had planned...). She may take a while, but she hasn't given up on that fic (and she says she never will), so it's all a matter of time... Just wait, cause maybe until her birthday she thinks of something (wow... I probably scared you now, her b-day is on May...).

Lily: ^^U Anyway, lol thanks for reviewing even under "evil family" doom... And you're not even doing homework to read my stories? Hah, I feel special- *sees Iris giving her a dirty glance* Erm... Good luck with those!! ^^U

_Destiny_ - lol, I died too, don't feel bad XD I just didn't give up on it until I finished it... And yeah, little kids seem to be better than us, teenagers O_o why would that be?? *ahem* *sweatdrops* Hehehe... it's just funny confusing people ^^U But I hope you don't get too confused O.o Any questions you can ALWAYS email me...

_SelenaWheeler_ - Oh really? How interesting!! My dreams are being rather strange lately... Last time I dreamt Duo was real and he was my boyfriend and even sang for me O.o That's bizarre... *ahem* Yeah, Jou's finally here ^^ He's great, yes, always helping Yuugi and such...

_C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity_ - thanks, now I know how it's called ^_^ *pats her back* I'm sure you may draw greatly too, don't feel bad... Here's a new chapter to cheer you up ^^

_Hime no Ichigo_ - ^^U Don't worry, Kaoru-chan... At least I know you're still reading my story.... *blinks* And hey you're right, I didn't even notice how cold he was being with her... hehehe, I guess it's a natural thing in me make things as much non-Anzu/Yuugi-ish as possible ^^U and lol, yeah, Anzu's smart in here... THAT'S spooky =P

Iris: Why can't we hit her?

Lily: Just stay quiet, Iris -.-;; Anyway, yeah, a fic wouldn't be complete without Jou and Honda being funny and heroic ^-^ And I'm glad you think it's that good!! *bows really low* I'M SO SORRY... I didn't mean to upset you ;_; I'm sorry, I promise I won't swear that much in the near future...

_PadfootsNoxed_ - Your wish shall be granted ^_^

_Pretenna_ - LOL! I think I've scared M for life ^^U *hugs Momiji again* Anyway, Yuugi feels really bad without Yami... take a look at this chapter and say if you agree with me =P

NOW ENJOY!

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**VII **

_- s t a n d b y m e -_

Someone rocked him back and forth, trying to soothe him and make his tears stop falling. It was good having someone to take care of him now that _he_ was gone... He was supposed to be alone, but yet he wasn't. Instead, he had a very important someone taking care of him now.

It was funny for him to have someone like _that_ as a friend... Actually, he never thought he would have a friend at all. He was too silent, some people even thought he couldn't talk. And his friend... His friend was violent and rude. Sometimes even cold. But, for some reason, they were the best friends ever. It didn't even sound real...

"I am here now..." the person soothed the child, caressing his soft locks.

"You are not leaving... are you?" he asked timidly, but heard a chuckled as a reply.

"No," he heard. "Never."

-

_Slowly he began to open his eyes, and soon Yuugi took a look around, searching for any sight of his partner. His heart then went back beating normally when he spotted his friend sitting against a wall just across from his bed, sleeping uncomfortably. He frowned, trying to understand why wasn't he sleeping on the other bed located in the room, but dismissed the thought. It was not important._

_He was there... that's what really mattered._

_Yuugi silently stood up and grabbed a blanket on the other bed, placing it carefully around Yami's shoulders. He sighed deeply before leaning over and kissing Yami's forehead, brushing some of his bangs away from his face. It was strange seeing how much influence the taller one had over Yuugi... but he just couldn't help it. Yami was important to him. And he would never deny it._

_But this time, Yuugi was unable to keep his eyes open for too long for some reason. He ungracefully made his way towards his bed and fell on the soft mattress._

_Drifting away from his surroundings..._

Knock, knock.

Yuugi opened his eyes lazily and sat up, trying to make out what were the sounds that had wakened him. It took the boy a few minutes to realize it was the sound of someone knocking on the door downstairs. He yawned and reluctantly stood up from his bed, looking quickly-yet-lazily for some clothes to wear.

After getting dressed, Yuugi climbed down the stairs and entered the Game Shop, blinking when he saw four figures through the glass doors. Two were female and the other two were male. And Yuugi could easily recognize them.

"Rebecca? Anzu?" he blinked. "Jounouchi and Honda too, what are you guys doing here?" he asked, opening the door.

"We're just friends coming for a visit!" Jounouchi said, winking. "Nothing wrong with that, right?"

"He's right, Yuugi." Anzu said, while Jou glared at Honda who said "For once!"

"We wanted to see why you didn't come to school today, Yuugi." Rebecca said, an uncharacteristic frown on her face. But the boy took a while to answer that, as he looked at them with wide eyes.

"_Friends, he said?"_ he asked himself. No one had ever bothered about his absence from school before... Nor had they minded him at all. But now, everything seemed different. These people were worried about him... and they even said they were friends! _"No one has bothered to befriend with me for years now..."_

"I just..." he tried to bring himself to speak. "I wasn't... feeling well this morning," he finally answered, and everybody shared concerned glances amongst themselves.

"What happened?" Honda asked, crossing his arms.

"Did your head hurt again?" Anzu asked, curving her body a little to be on his eye level, much like Yami did.

"Are you feelin' alright now, Yug'?" Jou asked, worriedly scratching his head.

Yuugi blinked. He had never been bombarded with such amount of questions at the same time before...

"I ah... My head's okay, now," he assured, smiling. "I just didn't feel like getting up this morning."

"Ah, I understand. Jou is usually like that too. I have to enter his apartment to wake him up sometimes." Honda said, followed by a kick from Jou, which in turn following in a headlock by Honda. Anzu sighed and went to tear them apart. Yuugi just blinked more.

"It's not that, really..." he tried to say.

"Did you have a bad dream?" the question was spoken innocently, but Yuugi looked up at the person with wide eyes. Rebecca smiled down at him with her hands clasped behind her back and an expression of true sympathy in her eyes. "You seem a little paler than normal to me, Yuugi... Where are your folks?" Yuugi looked down at the same time the other three turned to them.

"My... my parents are dead." He said. Everybody went silent.

"I'm sorry," Rebbeca said, not knowing where to focus her eyes. Yuugi just shrugged.

"It's okay, it's been over ten years now..." he said, looking up at her with a sad smile. "My grandpa had to travel and I'm alone here. I didn't want to go to school today because I'm wasn't feeling too well… And besides, the weather was horrible," he half-lied.

"Tell me about it," Anzu said, throwing her hair back to ignore the awkward environment they were in. "It looked like it hadn't rained in years and then all the accumulated rain was finally falling..."

"I thought I'd have to swim to school, really," Jou said, crossing his arms and nodding. "It was a bad weather indeed."

"Thinking about it, you didn't miss too much, Yuugi," Honda said, shrugging. "Many teachers along with most part of the students didn't come. I guess that they're probably afraid of water."

"Or maybe..." Anzu said, glaring at the snickering Honda and Jounouchi. "The rain was so strong people couldn't even leave their homes."

"Lately the weather has been too strange," Rebecca said, turning to Yuugi. "Don't you think, Yuugi?" she asked, and he vaguely nodded. After that, everyone went into a very disturbing silence.

That is, until Yuugi realized everyone was still standing inside the closed Game Shop. He widened his eyes, realizing he wasn't being the best of the hosts.

"Do you want to come in, the house is this way," he said, guiding them through the door behind the counter. "Want something to drink, eat?" he continued, leading everybody towards the living room, but all the teens declined.

"You said your grandfather is traveling, Yuugi?" Anzu asked, and the boy nodded. Her gaze softened. "Does he often do that and leave you alone in here?" she continued and everyone turned to Yuugi. The boy blushed under their gaze.

"Yes..." he admitted. "But it isn't a big deal. I'm used to it, actually..." but he stopped talking after seeing he wasn't making a good impression of his grandpa. "I-it's not like he can avoid it... Usually they're hard to postpone, like this time, having to visit someone or go on digs..."

"Digs?" Jou asked, blinking. "Like in the idea that he's an archeologist?" Yuugi nodded slowly. "Cool!"

"Wow Jou, that was a fast one..." Honda mused, his mouth hanging open. "How did you figure that out so quickly?" he asked, and Jou grinned.

"Heh, I just happen to know an archeologist... I mean, the father of a friend of Mokuba's is an archeologist too." he said, and Rebecca blinked.

"Mokuba?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Jou hesitated and Anzu giggled. Honda seemed to sigh at his friend's stupidity.

"That's his... ahh..." Anzu tried to explain, but turned to Jou uncertain. The blond sighed.

"That's the boy I babysit," he said seriously, and Yuugi and Ellian blinked. Anzu seemed to hold back a laugh, and Honda snickered.

Jounouchi was definitely the last person anyone would think would be able to handle a child.

"And who's that, Jou?" Yuugi asked curiously, tilting his head to the side. Rebecca still hadn't recovered from the shock.

"The brother of Seto Kaiba, an uuh old friend," Jou admitted. Yuugi's eyes widened considerably.

"Seto Kaiba?" he asked. "As in, _the_ Seto Kaiba? From Kaiba Corp.?" he turned to Jou, who blushed.

"Erm... yeah, that'd be 'im," he answered, while glaring at a smirking Honda. "Would ya stop dat?" he asked, jumping on the taller one's throat. Anzu sighed heavily and rolled her eyes before going to part them up _again_. Yuugi just laughed while Rebecca shook her head.

"I think we got a bit carried away from the topic," Anzu said, glaring at the boys, panting after her _hard_ task.

"Yeah, Jou. You meant you know an archeologist? How did you know him _actually_?" Yuugi asked, while Jou straightened his jacket and combed his messy hair with his fingers.

"I didn't actually know him... I heard the boy and Mokuba talkin' one day while I babysat 'em," he said, and Honda snickered.

"Imagine the scene! Jou babysitting two kids!"

"Yeah, yeah... You seem to forget that I've got a baby sister," Jou said. "Anyway, Mokuba's not that young to give me some work... Seto just dun like leavin' two lil' brats alone in a big mansion like his. So I volunteered to take care of 'em," he continued, shrugging.

"Hah... The guy must be out of his mind to leave _you_ alone in a big mansion like his," Honda said.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Jou spat, but Rebecca interrupted.

"Hey Jou, what was his name, or last name? Maybe Yuugi knows him," she asked, and Jou stopped in mid-glaring at Honda to blink. He closed his eyes for a moment before answering.

"Bakura, I think," he said, but then looked down. "But... he's dead now." Everybody was shocked for a moment.

"Dead? W-What happened?" Yuugi asked. Jou shrugged.

"I don't know, Mokuba was the one who told me... He said that the boy, Ryou, is even more silent than before now. He tried to befriend him for ages, but the boy is just too silent and shy. He just won't talk to anyone now that his father died."

"Reminds me of someone," Anzu said, looking at Yuugi with a soft glance. He blinked but said nothing, knowing that she was right. But it wasn't his entire fault...

"Anyway, Yuugi, you said that you're going to be alone here for a while." Rebecca said, turning to him. "Maybe we can keep you company." She beamed, opening her arms wide, and everyone cheered.

"She's right, Yug'!" Jou said. "I'm free anyway."

"Me too," Honda said. Anzu smiled.

"I had some of my ballet classes cancelled so I'm free too," she said.

"Great!" Jou said, jumping up from his seat. "Now... Who wants to duel?"

Yuugi had never been happier in his life. For the first time, he knew what it was like to have friends. Or at least someone who cared for him and enjoyed being in the same place as him. Time seemed irrelevant when he was having fun, something that was completely foreign to him. Usually the days seemed too long, and he just wouldn't wait until it was night.

But... Maybe it wasn't such a foreign feeling, thinking about it. Time just seemed unimportant when you wanted to be with someone you liked. Sometimes it seemed too slow and sometimes it seemed too fast. But the fact was that he had never had a greater time than that afternoon.

They played, laughed and talked for hours. Yuugi wouldn't be surprised if everyone just stood up suddenly and said that they had to go and that he wasn't supposed to wait for them. But that didn't happen. Instead, they kept their word and stayed with him until it was really late and they didn't have another option other than leave.

But they said they would come back. And that was what made Yuugi believe that, for the first time, he was not alone.

Rebecca was the last one to leave the Mutou's house. When everybody had left, she offered to help Yuugi clean what little mess they had made. When she stood at the entrance of the Kame Game Shop, she looked around a moment and spoke some words before leaving for real.

And her words echoed in Yuugi's mind.

"What is this world turning into?"

The happiness Yuugi was feeling completely blocked anything else from his mind. The mist, the voices, the rain, the nightmare... Yami. He forgot about everything. And just longed for the next day, when he would meet his _friends_ again.

Yuugi had another dreamless sleep that night. And the next too. At first he didn't mind it, or maybe he just didn't realize it, blinded by the bliss of having someone to stay with and to walk back home with. But the next morning, when he woke up, his chest was starting to hurt, and his head was aching, his breath uneven.

He was suffering from the lack of the one pure friendship he had ever had. He hadn't seen him, hadn't talked to him for more than two days... It could feel like it was nothing to anyone else, but to Yuugi it felt like an eternity. He was afraid that his image would vanish from his mind... He was afraid of never seeing Yami again.

He couldn't sacrifice him. It didn't matter if he had friends now... He just couldn't live without seeing Yami's face at least once in his dreams. A quick glimpse of his crimson eyes. A mere second of hearing his soothing voice... It was not fair. Why was he getting so distant from him?

And why did it affect him so much?

When he lied down on his bed on the third night, he hugged his pillow tight to his chest, and tried to close his eyes and picture Yami's smile in his mind. He wasn't too successful. He could remember Jounouchi, Anzu, Honda and Rebecca... But not his best friend.

"_Why?"_ he asked no one, crying foolishly. "_I just want to dream again... I just want to meet him. Why is he leaving me? This... is this real loneliness?"_ He sat up and walked over to his bag, picking up his notebook and opening at one random part. Not so random to him.

He stared at the picture he drew of Yami for a second, before climbing back on his bed and closing his eyes, staring at the darkness behind his eyelids. The others were not with him now. No one ever was during the night... except Yami.

"_I must... be crazy... to cry over a dream..."_ He told himself.

"_He is not a simple dream."_ Was his own reply, finally falling asleep.

-

_Voices. There they were again. It had been long... Almost too long since he last heard them. But they were back. And he felt as if he had walked back in time. Fog covered his vision and piercing drizzle fell down on him. The voices came from everywhere._

_Where was Yami?_

_"Yami?" he called, and at once the voices ceased. He hugged himself. The silence was even more disturbing than the voices. And standing there, nothing to the left and nothing to the right, no one in sight, he felt weak. Helpless._

_Enveloped in loneliness._

_He shivered. Last time he felt like that was when his parents had died. When he hadn't even met Yami..._

_Was this the reason? Because Yami was not with him? Did Yami really mean that much to him?_

_Yes, was the easy and obvious answer._

_"Yami!" he called again, now more desperate. He started walking blindly through the fog, trying to catch a glimpse of those crimson eyes, like he had ten years ago._

_But... that wasn't what he found._

_After walking through the fog for who-knows-how-long, he stopped, hearing a different kind of sound._

_... Sobs?_

_He thought to himself, "Who was it?" Trying to follow the sound and find its source. It didn't take long. And when he found the source... his eyes widened._

_"Yami?" he called again, but the person was already looking at him. Sharp, crimson eyes. Crimson... like a bloodied rose. They were so beautiful... but yet so sad. The tears were almost invisible in the abnormal pale skin, and Yuugi felt his blood freeze._

_"You..." came the empty voice. "Yuugi?" There was something in the tone he used when he said his name. Hope?_

_Yuugi ran towards him and embraced the taller one, feeling how cold he was. He hugged Yami tightly, but the other one didn't hug him back with the same intensity. As if afraid that he would vanish in the mist. Instead, his hands touched his back, his hair, and his skin. When he came to his face, his cold fingers touched Yuugi's warm skin softly as if touching a porcelain doll, his eyes taking in the other's eyes, his skin, his clothes, and everything that he could._

_"I woke up, and you were not there. For two days you did not appear, and I realized that maybe... Maybe it was meant to be. You had found friends... You didn't need me anymore. I only existed for you... If you didn't need me, then you'd just disappear. And you did. I took it as the sign I was waiting..." he said, his deep voice in nothing but a whisper. "But I... I couldn't... I missed you... Too much." Yuugi broke down in his arms, not a single time letting go of him._

_"You were alone, weren't you? Like you were before you met me?" but Yami shook his head._

_"I was alone, for the first time. I... I know how you feel, Yuugi. When you drift off from here. How it is...Without anyone..." he smiled weakly, but Yuugi did not see. "But now you have friends, don't you? Why... are you here?"_

_"I needed you." He backed away enough to look into Yami's eyes. "For some reason... I feel bad without you. Is it stupid of me? I... I'm lonely without you, even when I'm not supposed to be alone anymore..." But Yami hugged him and hid his face on his chest._

_"Maybe... We're meant to be together?" he asked innocently, and Yuugi closed his eyes, blushing against his free will._

_"I guess," he answered, playing with Yami's hair, believing every single word. Even if it was all a dream._

**- VII -**

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Lily: *raises an eyebrow* That's one OVERFLOW of fluff... I hope that makes up for my delay? ^^U Please **review** and wait for the next chapter, that's coming out soon... The song is coming to its climax =D So, so is the story!! By the way... has anyone noticed that Jou's accent is relative? Sometimes it's there, and sometimes not? ^^U


	8. welcome me

_September 5__th__, 2009 – Story has been revised for crappy English and consistency for further plot devices._

- Lily M.

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A/N: Don't worry, folks. I haven't died yet XD Yeah... SORRY!! I know nothing can make up for my long delay but give you guys the new chapter already. I have to tell you, though, the reason why I was so long gone... And you see, it's something I haven't expected to happen...

It's called "Writer's Block" XD Yes, I've reached it! Once again, he comes to annoy me with his poisonous touch... GACK!! *hits him upside down the head with a spear* So yeah, sorry... This wasn't a very easy chapter to write but I hope you like it anyway... But before...

**Reviewers replies**:

_YumeTakato_ - *giggles* I take it you liked the last chapter? First, we have lonely Yuugi... Then we have happy Yuugi... Then we have depressed Yuugi... And to finish, fluff!! Yup, ride range of emotions indeed... lol. I'm glad you got your pc back too, so have fun with your Inuyasha desktop themes ^^

_Destiny_ - XD Is this THAT confusing? I mean... It's just bad that it keeps changing from Dream World to Real World often, but other than that, it's not that complicated, is it? .......... Or so I hope ^^UU Anyway, I'm glad you're understanding it more and sorry for taking so long to update...

_PadfootsNoxed_ - Thank you ^^ I hope you like this chapter too, and sorry for the delay

_hobbit13_ - Fluff makes up for delays? *thinking about inserting big amounts of fluff in a bunch of fics of hers* XD Anyway... I'm glad you like the Seto/Jou coupling!! I wasn't much a fan of it either, but my friend got me as obsessed with it as I am with the Yami/Hikari pairings ^^U Heh... O_o and erm... Think about it... if you kill me, you won't have "Fade to black" anymore.... XD

_Yana5_ - I'm glad you think that was sweet, it was the intention ^^ Now about Yami... hmm... read this chapter and you'll know!! ^_~

_Sansi_ - Yay, glad yez liked!! ... And sorry for making you wait so long to read this chapter XD Let us kill Mr. Writer's Block... *kicks him*

_Female-Yami/Yuugi_ - *giggles* Does that means, Yami Jiei, that your hikari liked the fluff there was in the last chapter? ^_~ I hope she did!! Here's the new chapter and... sorry for taking so long... ~_~

_SelenaWheeler_ - I'm glad you loved it, and yes, Yami/Yuugi fluff really rules... *sighs* I feel so bad for taking so damn long to update now...

_snow-shadow-wolf_ - *giggles* My God... You SO have to read this chapter ^_~ *pokes* Read, read, read! Oh and... sorry for the delay XP

_shadow-demon18b_ - Thank you, you have to keep reading to know how it'll end though ^-^ I'm telling you, the ending won't be so obvious as some might think, so please keep reading!

_Miami-chan_ - Hmm... a.s.a.p. without ruining the whole nice atmosphere the story has? ^^

_Anime Crazed_ - Thank you, and yeah, poor, poor Mi-chan.... *giggles* He won't be alone anymore though ^^ Here's the next chapter... *gives plushy in hope to get on reviewer's good side XD*

_Mel Gods_ - HELLO!! *waves* Long time no speak, huh? Or so... I think? *blinks and shrugs* Ah well... Anyway... ^^ Yup! Yami and Yuugi are back together, so what will happen now? Well, yez gotta read... Oh and about the mirror thing... Hmm... I can't really tell yez ^^U But yes, it is some kind of bonding between Yami and Yuugi... But read, there's more of it is in this chapter ^_~ So... how's your life going? XD I should have emailed you... You aren't reviewing all my fics anymore, and I was wondering if your teachers were killing yez... I swear that if they are, I will personally go where you live and give them a kick to leave yez alone XD *ahem* Anyway... Sorry for taking so long to update!! ;_; Stupid writer's block...

_Shitsumon_ - *blinks* Oh, it is? *blinks more* Well, I've seen in the game called "Valkyrie Profile" that Yumei also meant "Dream" so I thought it was the same... hmm... I gotta check... Thank you for the tip though ^^

_Amber eyes_ - Oh thank you ^^ *bows* Here's the update, sorry for taking so long... *sighs* Stupid writer's block... I'm glad it isn't confusing to ya!! *glomps* lol, since it has that effect on everybody...

_Pretenna_ - *giggles* I'm glad you liked last chapter, with some YY/Y fluff and the discovery of Seto's and Jou's relationship... I dunno if they'll appear much in the future though *shrugs* Oh and here... *hands her some plushies* For ya to please yourself in your little kawaii mode ^^

_Latias_ - *sighs* Sorry for taking so long to update this... It's just that I got writer's block, and it was very severe *bows* Gomen ne... OH and... please stop sending me reviews to update my ONE-SHOTS... You know... the word "owari" means that the story is over, you know ^^U

Oh, and before beginning, I have a question… Has ANYONE noticed there's a song lyric down there? *points down to story's title*

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**VIII**

_- w e l c o m e m e -_

Violet eyes opened, a curtain of sandy-blonde hair covering his vision. The child yawned and sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He scratched his stomach and looked casually around, his hair a mess, his gaze lazy. Nothing seemed unusual.

Then his eyes fell on the pocket watch lying on his dresser. At once his eyes widened and he looked around again, his gaze changing from casual sleepiness to panic. Everything seemed disturbingly normal to him now.

"Ma-Marik?" he asked, his small voice sounding even weaker than it was supposed to. Suddenly, his hands felt cold and he shivered, as the thought that the other was not around passed through the child's mind.

A chuckle to the side caught the child's attention, and he finally spotted the figure the curtains had been hiding, a chilling wind penetrating the room through the opened window. The man was sitting on the rail, purple eyes shining with a light that did not exist within the room.

The child quickly picked the pocket watch he so adored up from the dresser and walked over to the other man, standing before him, violet eyes darkening upon falling on scarily similar ones. He pouted.

"Why didn't you say you were there sooner?" he asked, and the other grinned.

"Because you didn't ask for me sooner," he replied, and the child pouted more. Marik laughed and reached over to catch him, bringing him up by the waist, and placing him on the railing between his legs, bringing him against his chest. He played with the boy's wild hair, enjoying the wind blowing his own.

The child looked down, watching the cars below and giggling at how little they seemed. Their room was high in the thirteenth floor. Everything seemed so distant and insignificant from where they were.

"Aren't you scared to be up here?" he asked, and Marik chuckled.

"No. I'm quite fond of heights. What about you, little Malik?" he leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Aren't you afraid?" he asked, and Malik shook his head, tilting his head up to look up at Marik.

"Nope. Because you're holding me," he said and smiled, and Marik grinned.

"But what if I accidentally drop you?" he asked, and Malik blinked.

"You won't drop me..." he said, yawning and changing his position so his side was against Marik's chest, laying his head on the warm wall, that moved up and down, soothing him beyond anything in the world. "I know... I trust you. Sister Isis told me that you're my best friend too... Aren't you?" he asked, and Marik smiled one rare sane smile.

"Yes. I'm your best friend. And you're mine too. You're my only, special friend," he said, glaring down at the little lights that represented the cars that drove by, as if they were his rivals, and would try to pry Malik away from him.

The child smiled.

"Thank you, Marik..." he whispered. "You'll never leave, will you? Like sis did..." he asked, and the older one shook his head, patting the child's wild hair. Malik did not even open his eyes, suddenly overwhelmed by sleep once again.

"No... I won't ever leave you. You and I, we are inseparable," he said, and the child unconsciously gripped the pocket watch tighter in his little hand, before drifting away from the world of pain he was in.

At least Marik was there. Or else, he wouldn't be able to survive anymore. Not without Isis, the only person who ever cared for him…

-

He took a deep breath before opening his eyes lazily, wanting to simply close them again and drift away to dreamland. He was warm, and there was something within him that made him smile, despite the fact that he was looking up at his usual ceiling.

But the dream he had last night had been just... Comforting. All the bad feelings he had been feeling the previous day were gone, but now there was something more...

Something inside him called for more. Called for all the emotions he had been feeling before he awoke, when his head rested on Yami's chest and Yami's head rested on his shoulder. Something inside him called for more of Yami's voice, more of his hypnotizing gaze, more of his intoxicating and addicting warmth... Such warmth seemed to still be within him, even now, away from the Dream World.

He wanted to be with Yami all the time.

"_Ah Yuugi... what is happening to you? That's impossible... And Yami... He's just a dream..."_ he thought, turning on his side and curling in fetal position. His hands traveled from his arms to his face, where Yami had touched him with all the affection he could. Yuugi sighed.

"Why, Yami... why do you affect me so much?" Yuugi whispered to himself, sighing again. He was so special to Yuugi that he felt sick just because he didn't see him, and Yuugi panicked at the simple thought of forgetting how he looked like. At the thought of forgetting the way he looked when he smiled... Yuugi closed his eyes. Yami was his best friend, and nothing would change that fact, he being a dream or not.

He sat up and looked at his clock. It was already 8:30 AM. He looked through the window and thanked all the gods he knew for it to be Saturday, because he just didn't seem willing in going to school on that day. It wasn't raining again, but the sky was of a menacing gray color that signalized that it would be anytime soon. Also, he had a feeling that there was going to be some violent wind too. He didn't know why but... He just had that feeling.

He stood up and went to the bathroom, taking a hot bath to try and keep the welcome and much appreciated warmth within him for more minutes, before coming out, fully dressed, and climbing down the stairs, towards the kitchen.

As he ate his breakfast, Yuugi couldn't help but think how good it was for him that his head didn't hurt as badly as before, because if he had any headache that day, it would ruin his schedule, because he was supposed to finish a paper by Monday.

When finished, Yuugi climbed the stairs up to get his books and when he climbed down, hesitated a little before entering the living room. His grandfather hadn't said anything about opening the shop, but it was Saturday, and Saturdays were always good days for business...

He walked into the game shop, and stopped behind the counter. Through the glass that separated the shop from the outside world, Yuugi couldn't see anything but white and that made him blink. Where was everything?

Everything before the game shop was completely covered in deep mist, and Yuugi wondered how far that mist went. Would it be covering just the neighborhood or the whole city? He didn't know. All he knew was that it would be dangerous to have the shop open on a day like that, and he was almost sure that nobody would come to buy anything, so he went back inside.

As he sat behind the coffee table to finish his paper, he turned the TV on, wondering if there was anything that could distract him a little while he finished his work, or else he'd get bored pretty easily and it would take him more time to finish.

As he wrote something down, something on the TV caught his attention.

_"Unusual fog covers the whole country, startling and confusing the population, not used to this phenomenon. It is extremely unusual at this time of the year, and its nationwide occurrence concerns the population, afraid of its consequences. It is advised to not leave your home unless completely necessary."_

Yuugi stared at the News reporter with an eyebrow raised, taking in all that she was saying. So... the whole country was covered in fog? That was greatly intriguing. He didn't think it was that extreme, and that made him frown.

He closed his eyes, wondering about that strange phenomenon. Anzu had said... She had said that there many strange things were happening lately, and Yuugi couldn't help but ask himself how he hadn't noticed it before... Blackouts, fog, heavy rain, darkened sky... Everything was just so... strange and... extremely familiar to him...

"_It has to be a coincidence..._" Yuugi thought, placing his elbow on the table surface and his forehead against his palm. _"Because if it isn't... what would it be then?"_

_"I have a feeling something is going to happen soon."_

Yami had told him that, when he had found his pocket watch... He said that because he found it, something was going to happen, but... Was this it? Could his dream have warned him about something that would happen to him in the Real World? And that wasn't all... Yuugi could still remember when he had that 'vision' with the boy being saved by a man who came out of nowhere.

Yuugi winced, feeling his head starting to hurt. He wanted answers that he couldn't find, and he wanted assurance from someone who wasn't there. He was alone at the moment, and he had so many doubts he wished someone was there to answer them.

"_Yami... what is going on? Can you help me?"_ he sighed. "_I wished you were here... You would find out, you're smarter than I am. I... I wanted you to be with me..." _Yuugi thought, and got up. His hand found the remote and he was about to turn the TV off when the woman said something that caught his attention again.

_"The city that is most covered in fog is Domino. It is recommended for people who live in the surroundings to not leave your house under any circumstances…"_

Yuugi brushed a golden bang from his lavender eyes, his mind wondering way too many things for him to decipher and only managing to give him a headache. He turned the TV off and closed his book, deciding to take a break. He climbed the stairs and went towards his room, opening the door and throwing himself unceremoniously on his bed.

When had all this begun? He didn't know. For him, it had been on Monday, but it was probably before that... He placed his arm across his face and over his eyes, closing them to contemplate the darkness and try to think better.

Thinking back on how he wanted Yami to be there, he remembered the day when he had the nightmare with his mother. The day when he had not gone to school, and that... He had that vision in the mirror.

He placed his arm to the side and opened his eyes, slowly sitting up. He looked over to where his mirror was, and stared at it for some minutes. Then he stood up and walked over to it, sitting down before the cool surface and placing his hand on the glass.

"_That image... those eyes..."_ he closed his eyes and leaned over, placing his forehead against the cold mirror. It calmed him down, easing his headache from the problems, focusing on only one thing... "_It was like... Yami..." _He looked up and stared at his own reflection, his breath blurring the surface.

He reached over and touched the blurred part, drawing on the surface with his fingers, writing a name. He stared at the name, 'YAMI', and placed a feather-light kiss over it.

That day... It seemed as if Yami was crying with him. Could they be so bonded? Yuugi didn't know... But all he knew was that he was not leaving the taller one again. No matter how many friends he had, and how much he liked them. Yami was Yami... and he needed Yuugi as much as Yuugi needed him. It was clear for him now that they belong together.

Slowly Yuugi stood up, and shaking his head from any further thoughts about everything that was going on around him, he tried to focus on what he was going to do now. He widened his eyes, remembering he had to buy some things for his grandfather, and then he hurried out of the room.

He didn't notice, then, something shining shyly in the darkness. A silver light, at a dark corner, near the mirror. It was a pocket watch, and it was certainly not there before.

And he didn't notice when the mirror's surface began to ripple and move like water. A hand slowly began to emerge from the once solid glass, outstretched, moving out of the water-like surface. Soon, a figure dressed all in black was in Yuugi's room, the teen absent and losing the opportunity to witness such occurrence.

Scarlet eyes opened in the dim light, looking around and contemplating every little thing as if it was of great importance. The man closed his eyes and breathed deeply, sensing a familiar scent in the air. One that he knew very well.

He smiled. Without opening his eyes, he ran a hand through his hair and then placed it on his lips. Opening the scarlet pools, they shone with new light, showing off the emotions he felt in the inside.

"Yuugi..." Yami said, and touching his chest, walked out of the room, in search for his special friend.

**- VIII -**

* * *

Lily: *blinks* Great... it turned out weird. *shrugs* Well, it still was a nice chapter, wasn't it? Or... so I hope XD *pokes reader* Please **review**, now won't ya? It took me a long time to write this out for you, so I hope it was good enough for the time being... I'll _try_ to write the next chapter faster, but I can't guarantee anything, since I don't honestly know where this is leading... Ok, so I have a few ideas, but they're not enough... *sighs* But I'll try, ok? After all, I love this story ^_~

Jaa ne~


	9. wake me up

_September 5th, 2009 – Story has been revised for crappy English. The ending has been modified._

- Lily M.

* * *

A/N: ... Alright, if anybody wants to yell at me, now's the time sighs I apologize, really, for taking so long, but I'm afraid that the block was being too severe -.- If you guys can forgive me, I shall present you with a new chapter, right after I do the...

**Reviewers replies**:

**Yana5** – The next chapter is FINALLY here!! Sorry for the long delay T.T I had a severe block… And I'm glad to know you liked that Yami came out of a mirror, and about him finding Yuugi… You gotta keep reading! ;-)

**Rikainiel** – lol! I'm glad you liked the whole "Yuugi kissing Yami's name" thingie =D I love it too! Here's the new chapter, sis! I hope you like it!

**snow-shadow-wolf** – I'm to see that you agree with me =) Don't worry, I won't rush this. And yay!! You don't think it's confusing? I'm glad to hear that!! Well, to answer your little question, Malik is a child because… well, partially I like chibis XD And also because of some things that'll happen in the future… can't say much about it, though, sorry. And yup, they'll be relevant for the plot later… And hey, I am with you. I can't stand any other pairing other than Yami/Hikari… Well, except for Seto/Jou and, sometimes, Honda/Otogi, but only that. They're really realistic. =D And thanks for the help!! :hugs: Read the new chapter now .

**Female-Yami/Yuugi** - :laughs: I'm glad you liked my story =D Thanks for the compliments and here's a new chapter for you and your Yami :giggles:

**Ryou Bakura Fan** – Hai, our dear Tomb Robber friend is in here, and trust me, he'll be important later ;-) Keep reading, please, and here's a new chapter for you!!

**YumeTakato** – Lol, I'll never doubt the dictionary from now on, ok? =) Here's a new update for you, sorry for taking so long -.-

**flowacat** – Thanks for the compliments!! =D This story is really getting better, and I think you're going to REALLY like this chapter…

**nekomoongirl** - :laughs: Hey, I prefer Sesshoumaru :winks: :giggles: Anyway, I think you're going to like this chapter… Read on! .

**Anime Crazed** – It's great to hear you liked it!! =D Here's a new chapter for you, and sorry for the delaaaaaay…

**Sansi** - :giggles: Great to know it's kawaii =D And if you were wondering how Yuugi would feel when he'd meet Yami… read on!!

**inu400** – you love it?? YAY!!!!! =D Thank you, thank you!! Here's an update for you!

**hobbit13** – XD! Hai, fluff is good… I think you'll like what I have put in this chapter… But there's the plot too -.- can't forget it or the story might suck… That's what took me so long to update. Sorry, I had planned to update sooner! … XD and please, don't consider killing poor Lily…. :coughcough: Anyway… Yes Marik's here, and no, he wasn't the one in Chapter Seven… That was Ryou's special friend, yes :nods: And hey, why is Yuugi dense? :confused: Anyway, thanks for the help with the spelling, and now go drool over Yami XD

**Pretenna** – lol, yay for Marik and Malik!! And yes, you're right about… what you said XD Can't spoil to people by repeating it though… :laughs: :gives her more plushies: Satisfy your curiosity by reading this chapter now, Pre! ;-)

**Destiny** – I'm glad you think it's creepy XD I like creepy… Sorry for taking long again… Now you won't be bored again anymore =) And maybe I'll put more cute moments between Malik and Marik…

**Latias** – lol, don't worry, I forgive you =) And I'm glad you think my stories are good, it's great to receive all your reviews… It shows you REALLY like my stuff and makes me happy… Sorry for taking long to update my stories, but my Writer's Block was too severe -.- Anyway, I like your long reviews!! They're funny!!! And thanks for the big support… :big glomp: You can read the new chapter now =D

**Hime no Ichigo** - :sighs: It's , Kaoru-chan :pats her back: It always finds a way to get screwy, remember? Don't worry about not reviewing, at least I know you read it, okies? =) And lol, I think you'll like chapter, if you seek cuteness… just beware of creepy stuff… ;-) Anyway, where's Kouichi?? I miss her… XD Just don't tell her, shh… :ahem: Anyway, read on!

**Joyce Roach** – I'm glad you like this story!!! Thanks for the support T.T It really DID help me!! :hugs: Anyway, Ryou and Malik are like… 8-9 year-old. So yup, Yuugi's the only teenager. =) Here's a new chapter, and I hope you like it

**Aislynn Goldleaf** – Thanks for the help with the spelling thing, thanks for all the compliments, and yes, I'll read your story as soon as possible =) Only if you keep reading, ok? ;-)

**Kairin-san **- :sweatdrops: Sorry!!! I'm not evil!! I'm just a poor girl with Writer's Block……. :sobs:

Iris: give her time, she'll recover soon -.-

Lily: ………………. Anyway, here's a new chapter for you!!! Now, you won't be hanging anymore….

deep breath ………………………………………………….THAT WAS LONG!!! XP

And before beginning, I shall thank everybody for the patience and faith you had with Lily... She apologizes yet again and hopes everybody enjoys the new chapter.

**Warning:** Shounen Ai content. Yami/Yuugi pairing.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, never will, nor do I own any of its characters or anything related to it.

* * *

**Mirror**

**IX**

_- w a k e m e__ u p -_

Yuugi hugged himself, watching his hot breath appear like some kind of white smoke in front of him when coming in contact with the freezing environment he found himself within. His face was flushed, and he felt his skin going impossibly cold.

He had not expected this to happen.

When he had left the Game Shop, an hour before, he could never have thought that it would have come to _this_. He knew his way, of course he did. So, he could never have expected himself to get _lost_ in the city he grew up in. But things weren't as normal as he had expected them to be.

After walking for a few minutes, he had to come to a stop. The path ahead of him was blocked. Not by anything material, but... everything was covered in mist. Then he looked to the sides. And his eyes widened. He looked back, and felt his heart beat increase.

He was lost in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mist. He tried going through the path he had come from, but after many minutes walking, he didn't know if he really had come from there anymore.

He came to lean against a wall, eyes staring at the ground, breath uneven. He had run, he had cried out for help, he had waited even for a car to hit him because he was standing in the middle of the road and didn't know. But nothing came.

Nothing.

He looked up at the sky, but couldn't see anything. With his head tilted up, he noticed something. To his horror, he noticed that it was _drizzling_. Cold, piercing, nail-like raindrops fell on his face and he felt like screaming.

_It can't be happening... I must be still asleep._ He thought, and repeated that over and over in his head, trying to convince himself of what he was saying. It couldn't be real. This was not _reality_. Not the _reality_ he knew.

Domino City didn't have this kind of problem. It never had. And it didn't have this _drizzle_. No, he had never seen this kind of drizzle in Domino City before. And he had lived his whole life in Domino City.

_This isn't real... I must wake up... This is a nightmare... Grandpa, wake me up... Yami, save me...!_ He thought, closing his eyes shut, and trying to wake himself up.

His city, Domino City, had turned into something else. His reality was mixing up with his dreams. His surroundings had changed, they _had_ to have changed... He couldn't be in the same place anymore... It was the Dream World. It _had_ to be.

_Wake up, Yuugi... This is no time to be sleeping..._ he told himself, but couldn't remember having fallen asleep. Maybe when he was lying on his bed? Maybe even before he left the Game Shop, it was already a dream? No... He wasn't even sleepy back then...

_No!_ He screamed inside his mind before opening his eyes wide, and started to try and guide himself using the wall. _This is impossible! Domino isn't like this... This is a dream... Yami! Where are you? Yami!_

"Yami!" he cried out, and regretted it soon after. His throat, already hurt because he ran too much, wasn't breathing properly and because of the cold, hurt even more... He felt it.

This wasn't a dream. It couldn't be.

_What is going on then...?! Why is everything like this?_

He was afraid. If this was a dream, then something was _really_ wrong. Because usually when he "awoke" in dreamland, Yami would be with him. He would be there, smiling and greeting him like usual. And he wouldn't be lost in the middle of nowhere. No, he would be in someplace safe. With Yami taking care of him.

But now... he was lost. He was cold. And he was alone. His surroundings weren't the same he faced in his fantasy dreams, they were the ones he faced when he was conscious. When he was awake.

Then... this had to be reality. But, Domino wasn't like this! It had never been! Either he had forgotten... Or something bad was happening. Something...

_"...something is going to happen soon."_

He felt like his reality was mixing up with fantasy. His dreams were meeting the real world.

He was walking in a living nightmare.

_How... why is this happening?_

He stopped, and leaned his back against the wall. If there was something he was afraid of, that would be the silence. No human voices to prove that he wasn't alone in the world, no childish laughter to prove that life existed. There weren't the sound of cars, birds, or footsteps. There was nothing that meant that a world surrounded his lonely life.

He felt like he was the only one in the deep, mortal mist. The only one the lingered in the cold when everyone else left to find warmth in someone's embrace. And only the wind blew by him, like a signal of eternal solitude.

_I haven't... had this feeling... since... my parent's..._

And then he stopped. His thoughts stopped. His _breathing_ stopped. Because, suddenly he wasn't alone anymore. Suddenly, it wasn't so _silent_ anymore.

He could hear _them_. Whispering in a non-existent void. Coming out of nowhere, but circling everywhere. A crowd of bodiless voices, one remarkably different from the other. Some angry, some sad, some low, some yelling. No shadow penetrated through the white fog, but the voices were there. Oh, yes, they were surrounding him.

They focused on his sorrowful mind.

_No... No! This can't be happening! This is a dream! A nightmare! I need to wake up! Grandpa, help me! Yami, _save me!

He started to walk blindly towards no destination, his eyes closed shut, his hands on his ears to try and stop the voices. But they kept tormenting him. Questioning him on why he ran. Why he panicked. They only wanted him. They wanted him to join them. To _enjoy_ them. To _talk_ to them. Wasn't he alone? They could help him.

But Yuugi refused. This was madness. He was deadly cold, and he wanted warmth. He wanted salvation. He wanted...

He fell, and hit his face on the pavement. He winced when he felt pain rushing to his brain instantly. His headache worsened. And now he felt that he was even more hurt.

He turned to lie on his back, and moved a hand to his injury. One eye closed in pain when his fingers met the marred skin, and when he withdrew his hand, he contemplated the red liquid on the tip of his fingers.

This was real... This wasn't a nightmare. And he could not find his way back home, to run away from it. To escape the voices.

Sitting up, he sighed. He wanted to go home. Sleep, find comfort within Yami's arms, and wake up to find everything back to its original form. But firstly, he had to find out where he was.

He was about to stand up, when he stopped abruptly. His ears had caught a sound from within the cursed mist. A menacing, dangerous sound. Like a growl. And then, more sounds.

Something was coming towards him.

The growl came again, and his eyes widened when a small shadow appeared from within the white clouds. He held his breath not to catch _its_ attention, and tried to back away before he could be spotted. All the while, his eyes never left the shadow.

His panic increased when his back met a wall, and he let out his breath, suddenly panting anxiously. His head turned back in the direction of the shadow, and he spotted it again, coming closer to him.

It seemed to _sniff_ him.

Yuugi could not move as the creature came closer and closer. Soon, he could fully see it. And he recognized it, right away. It only made his headache worse. Because he had seen it before, oh yes he had. Only...

... in the Dream World.

Reddish-brown eyes without pupils stared at him. A mouth, full of piercing-sharp teeth was open, menacing drool falling towards the ground. It sniffed him still, and the sound of growling was more constant, vicious, long.

Although it looked like a dog, it was far from one. More like a hellhound. Seemingly dead, in decomposition. He could see its flesh, putrid, of a weird dark-red color. Almost no fur covered its body anymore. And what lingered, fell to the ground as it moved. Was it even supposed to _move_?

But it came closer. All the while looking more anxious and, to Yuugi's terror, _hungry_. The hellhound was going to _eat_ him. Kill him. Rip his flesh, and he would die slowly in agony.

His eyes closed in anticipation, and he could almost sense it jumping to give him the first blow, when he heard a sound. Something that wasn't his own scream, or a growl, or any of his bones cracking.

The dog seemed to grunt in pain, and a metallic sound resounded in the air. He heard more and more sounds, all of them terrifying him. He could not even dare opening his eyes, because he was afraid that something else, or even _someone_ else would be there. To kill him.

Finally, he heard one last growl from the dog, then something seemed to move in the air, _cutting_ the mist, and the dog's sounds ceased. He heard nothing more, but panting. Yes.

He wasn't alone.

His brows furrowed and his eyes were closed shut in fear, and slowly the panting sound was gone.

Footsteps.

The metallic sound was back, and it was loud. For a moment Yuugi thought that whatever it was, it was going to murder him. But he felt something fall beside him. Gulping, Yuugi decided it was time to open his eyes.

Firstly, his gaze fell on what laid beside him. It was a sword. A _bloodied_ sword. His head was still turned to the side and, looking slightly ahead, he said the corpse of... that _thing_. Wherever it had come from, it went back there.

Then he looked ahead. There was a person standing in front of him. And it was dressed in black. And, before he could even look up to see the person's face, a voice echoed and made his heart almost stop.

"Yuugi! Are you okay?"

He looked up, and watched as the figure knelt in front of him and touched his face. Marvelous crimson eyes were clouded with concern, and Yuugi momentarily closed his own, enjoying the newfound warmth. He could feel it coming from the gentle touches, and emanating from the body so close to his own.

His hand went up and fell on top of the other's. His small fingers interlaced with the other's, and he felt fingers caressing his cheek. Another warm hand was placed on the other side of his face, and he felt a hot breath tickling his skin.

"You're so cold... and you're hurt! Yuugi, talk to me, please! Are you okay?" the gentle voice came again, soothing his mind to no tomorrow.

His eyes opened as the other brushed his hair back to see his injury, and soon dark scarlet irises were locked on him. Their hands were still clasped together.

"Yami... You're... here... I... can feel you... You're... finally here." He spoke, his voice coming out low and weak. Unconscious tears fell down his face, startling the other. He didn't know if they were because of pain, or fear.

But they were of _happiness_.

"Ah Yuugi..." he felt himself being slight lifted off the ground, and falling into impossibly addicting warmth.

He was surrounded by darkness. His eyes were half-open but all he could see was black. His pale, cold hand moved from being fallen limply by his side to circle around his savior. His head moved and he found himself nuzzling a smooth skin, a strong scent filling him. He could not even describe it.

He was so over-flowed with emotions (fear, pain, happiness, disbelief) that he couldn't take it any longer. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and the last thing he heard was his name being called, before he fell into complete blackness.

But now, he felt _safe_.

-

It was so white, everywhere they looked. Brown eyes looked right and left, and all that could be spotted was mist. One was afraid, while the other, was impassive.

"Kura?" a soft, silent voice spoke up, breaking the disturbing silence. Sharp brown, almost red eyes looked down at the small figure holding his hand, wide similar brown eyes curious. "Why is everything white? Where are the people, and the buildings?"

He sighed, and picked the young child up, having the little one hold his neck and look straight at his eyes for an answer.

"They're hiding." He answered, and the little one shuddered. He held him tighter.

"Hiding? What for?" the little one asked, looking around him for any spooky thing that could attack them out of a sudden.

"They're hiding from their nightmares." His eyes narrowed, as he looked around. He saw monsters running around, to keep themselves out of view. "The portal has fully opened." He spoke, more to himself than the child.

"Portal?" a childish voice asked, and the child blinked. And then he did something only this child could make him do.

He smiled.

"The door from where I came. Do you remember, Ryou? When we met up, while you were asleep?" he asked, and the child nodded, happy to finally know something. "The door is wide open... and _they_ are coming out."

"... who are _they_?" the child blinked, and the young man began to walk, back to safety.

"The residents of the _other world._" He answered, and the child, even without really knowing what it meant, shuddered in fear.

"It'll be okay," the taller figure reassured. "Now… Is the time for wishes to come true."

**- IX -**

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Lily: THERE!!! =D Finally a new chapter!! I hope it was good and that everybody liked, I put much effort in it... I think I finally know where I'm going with this and maybe, just maybe, I'll know how to end it properly. But you guys don't have to worry, you have a lot more chapters to read. I need to finish the song, ya know? XD Please, don't forget to **review**, and wait for my next update. Who knows, maybe "One winged angel" is finally about to be updated...

For now, ja ne!

(Unrelated note: I HATE 's new formatting..... XP)


	10. lie to me

A/N: Hi! It's been... five years. Bloody hell. I don't think there's a logic excuse for that, other than me getting a life (???), falling out of the Yu-Gi-Oh! hype, and just losing inspiration for the story in general. I also can't lie and say that I've always had an ending planned, because I didn't. But recently, in a spur that cannot be explained other than sudden, blessed inspiration, I've reached what is believed to be the rest of this story. So rest assured – there _will_ be an ending.

I don't know how many of my original readers will still stick to this story, I don't know if anyone new will bother with it, but for anyone reading this – I hope you enjoy.

Before beginning the chapter, I'd like to point out that _all_ chapters have been revised. To know what's changed, check the note at the start of the first chapter.

Let us begin.

* * *

**Mirror**

**X**

_- l i e t o m e -_

"_Yuugi."_

The voice was distant, vague. He felt like he was trapped underwater, and the voice tried to reach him, a hand outstretched, far beyond the surface.

"_Yuugi!"_

His eyelids were heavy. His skin felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles. For a moment, he had a strange feeling. Like he knew he had control of his body, but he couldn't move. Trapped, somehow. Tied by invisible ties.

Was he dreaming?

He was awake, at least.

"_Yuugi, please wake up."_

The voice was strong, as were the arms that shook him gently. The cold air surrounding him, enveloping him, drastically forced his eyes open. Those arms, those hands, even they were somehow affected by the cold, but they still held their own warmth. He never knew how he could do that. He supposed it must have been because… Because he was who he was.

"Yami…"

Yuugi opened his eyes. Yami sighed in relief, reluctantly letting go, leaving Yuugi to lean against a cold wall. Consciousness returned to him slowly, recollections his last moments of lucidity as well. Yami stood up, sword in hand, glowing slightly with an unknown source of light. Yuugi held his head. His memories were a mess.

"What… happened?" He asked, sitting up straighter. His back sort of hurt.

"You've been out for a couple of hours," Yami said, sheathing his sword, probably feeling it wasn't needed. "I had nowhere to bring you, I'm sorry." He looked down, apologetically. Yuugi didn't mind the alley they found themselves into. It was not like things could get possibly worse.

"I… What… happened?" He finally managed to look up at Yami. The other had yet to look at him directly.

"We've been attacked. You…" He started, but was cut by the other boy.

"No, no… I… remember that. I mean, what happened? What's going on? Am I… dreaming?" Yuugi tried to use the wall behind as support to stand up, and Yami quickly hurried to his side to help as well. There was no escaping Yuugi's eyes then. "Why can't I wake up?"

Yami held Yuugi's gaze, and the reassurance Yuugi usually felt from him did not come. This _something_ that he had talked about, it must have been more serious than he had anticipated. Then again, thinking about it, he could have avoided Yami some trouble if he had stayed home like the TV had said.

Was that before or after he fell asleep? Yami still hadn't answered him.

"You're not dreaming, Yuugi," he said, looking away and taking a few steps back. When he looked up at Yuugi, he was more serious than the boy had ever seen it. It was scaring him. "The portal has opened."

"Portal?" Yuugi questioned, and they both started to walk out of the alley, into the white-filled streets. There was still no one in sight.

"The Portal between this world and my world. It shouldn't exist, but…" Yami bit on his thumb nail absentmindedly. "It must have something to do with this," and as he spoke, he pulled his pocket watch into view. Yuugi frowned at it.

"The watch you mentioned… Wait, portal? Does that mean… I'm awake? And… This mist, you… Our worlds, they…"

"They've merged," Yami finished for him. "My world is affecting yours, like a door that has finally opened and everything from the other side has started to leak out. The mist, me…" He had a sad smile. "And that," he pointed at the dead hound who tried to hurt Yuugi.

"So, that means… Everything can come here," Yuugi visibly paled. "But… how? Why? And… that world is…"

"Dangerous, yes," Yami started walking, never once taking his eyes from the hands of the watch. "And I'm afraid I can't answer to all of your questions, Yuugi…" Yuugi stopped, watching the other's back for a second before running and hugging him. Yami looked at him from over his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here…" Yuugi said, and Yami's tense shoulders seemed to relax for the first time he was there.

"Me too," he said, and both resumed walking. Yuugi didn't know where they were headed, but he never had to worry about destination for as long as Yami was with him. It was like that until then, and there was no reason to stop believing it.

A thought sudden hit the smaller boy.

"My grandpa…!" He circled Yami, standing in front of him and in his tip toes to try and reach his eye level. "My grandfather left home yesterday! The fog had already started… Is he… Is he okay, is he going too…?!" Yuugi suddenly gasped. "My friends! They know nothing about this! Are they going to be okay, I have to find them…!" He touched his forehead in mild despair, and Yami had to take him by the shoulders.

"Calm down, Yuugi!" He said. "We can't go looking for your grandfather right now, the fog it's…"

"Unpredictable," Yuugi finished sourly. Yami's eyes softened.

"Yes. I'm really sorry. We need a better plan than wander blindly in the fog," he let go of Yuugi, who looked up at him with the most heartbroken expression. Yami could have winced.

"What do we do?"

"We need to find the door," Yami said, taking a cautious look around to reassure himself that he and Yuugi were safe. Even if they were never really safe.

"The… door?" Yuugi questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Is it an _actual_ door or some sort of… meta… uh…"

"Metaphorically speaking," Yami smiled, "it's more like a source. Something must have triggered the portal… Or some _one._"

"So if we find the source…"

"We close it," Yami concluded. Yuugi's smile seemed brighter.

"Then let's go!" He beamed, but Yami blinked at him.

"It's not actually easy… The closer we get to the source, the more clouded with fog becomes our vision and surroundings. We can get lost before we even reach it, and who knows what we might find…" He brought his hand up, looking at it, uncertain. "And I'm not sure how much of my powers I've brought with me."

Yuugi took hold of that hand with both of his. He must have been scared, he must have been uncertain, but his smile was soothing.

"I'm sure you'll make things right," Yuugi said, and Yami wasn't sure if that was reassuring or not.

"We'll make it," he said, looking at the watch again. The time showed twelve o'clock, and it hadn't moved for the last minutes Yami had been checking it. Perhaps it wasn't as much as pointing the time as it was…

"This way," he said, and started walking in the direction the watch pointed. He didn't know how he knew where to go, but he did. And if Yuugi had faith in him, then there was no reason for him to doubt himself.

-

He smirked a sinister smirk. The child in his arms did not falter, did not say anything. There was a glow in his eyes, an inhuman glow that messed the lavender up and into a darker, unnamed color.

"It seems a new character has showed up," Marik said, still looking down through that one window, up in his modern tower.

"What happens now?" Malik asked, clinging to Marik's neck. Marik unconsciously licked his lips.

"Now we step in the spotlight," he said, and with that, opened the window. The cold wind threatened him but he wasn't affected. Holding onto the window frame for support, he whispered for Malik to hold tight and not let go, and he didn't even have to say it.

With that, he jumped off the thirteenth floor.

-

In the eye of the storm, the core of the mist, two figures stood. One more fragile, tiny, almost a puppet waiting to be broken. The other, taller, imposing, threateningly mad.

Monsters surrounded them, trapped them. Their growls echoed in the white, the eyes glowed red trails in the air. The smaller one did not move from the taller one's side. The taller one did not move from the smaller one's grasp.

Bakura smirked. And from the tip of his index finger, a single, tiny flame appeared.

He murmured one word and one word only.

"Burn."

And Ryou did not look away as the monsters wailed in excruciating pain.

**- X -**


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